PERIPHERAL VASCULAR SYNDROME OVERLAPPING WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS - RECURRENT VENOUS THROMBOSIS AND HEMORRHAGIC CAPILLARY PROLIFERATION WITH CIRCULATING ANTICOAGULANTS AND FALSE-POSITIVE SERO-REACTIONS FOR SYPHILIS

Three women and 5 men with chronic biological false-positive seroreactions for syphilis and circulating anticoagulants exhibited a vascular syndrome consisting of recurrent deep venous thrombosis of the extremities and necrotizing purpura with painful superficial starlike ulcers around the ankles. Skin biopsies revealed a unique picture of massive proliferation of hemorrhagic dermal capillaries without a significant inflammatory reaction. Some virus infection may function as a trigger of this peripheral vascular syndrome because 6 of the 8 patients had a preceding pneumonia with pleural effusion. Considering that the 3 women had clinical and laboratory evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) this syndrome may be related to SLE.