Authors: Puente, Dolores; Forastiero, Ricardo

Source: Future Rheumatology, Volume 3, Number 1, February 2008 , pp. 85-93(9)

Publisher: Future Medicine

Abstract:

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a clinical autoimmune disorder characterized by thrombosis, venous or arterial, and recurrent pregnancy morbidity in association with the persistence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs). The clinical variety of aPLs ranges from asymptomatic individuals to those with multiple organ thromboses and failure developing over a short period, also known as catastrophic APS. Warfarin is the best available, most effective treatment for the secondary prevention of recurrent thrombosis. However, there are still controversies in the duration of treatment and the intensity of anticoagulation. Recommendations for primary thrombosis prevention in asymptomatic aPL individuals vary from no treatment to low-dose aspirin. In some groups of patients with special clinical characteristics other therapies are used, such as immunosuppression. Recent publications based on in vivo animal models have shown that new therapeutic approaches can be effective in reversing pathogenic effects of autoimmune aPL. Nevertheless, whether they could be used therapeutically for preventing APS-related clinical events remains to be elucidated. This article will briefly review this evidence.

Keywords: antiphospholipid syndrome; aspirin; thrombosis; warfarin

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/17460816.3.1.85

Publication date: 2008-02-01

More about this publication?

• Future Rheumatology provides analysis and commentary on our understanding of disease mechanisms, emerging therapeutic strategies and new diagnostic approaches. Key advances in the field are reported and analyzed by international experts, providing an authoritative but accessible forum for this expanding area of specialization.
• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Submit a Paper
• Subscribe to this Title
• Information for Advertisers
• Terms & Conditions
• Information for Librarians
• E-Access Trials
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Medicine
• By this author: Puente, Dolores ;  Forastiero, Ricardo

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers