Prognosis in antiphospholipid syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has a broad clinical spectrum. As a result, the prognosis may differ depending on the specific subset of APS being considered. There are patients with mild APS and patients with a more severe disease. Pulmonary hypertension, neurologic involvement, myocardial ischemia, nephropathy, gangrene of the extremities and especially, the catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome are associated with a worse prognosis. In addition, apart from fetal loss and pregnancy complications, APS patients have a substantial risk of thrombosis during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Follow-up studies have shown that having APS, whether primary or secondary, confers a poor prognosis.