Pathogenesis and treatment of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is one of the most important causes of thrombophilia, presenting most often as venous or arterial thrombosis, recurrent pregnancy loss, or thrombocytopenia. Both the lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody are associated with APS. The mechanism of the prothrombotic state is not understood, but may involve beta-2 glycoprotein I (a naturally occurring anticoagulant), platelet aggregation, the protein C pathway, or endothelial cell function. The current treatment recommendation, after a venous or arterial thrombosis, is high-intensity, long-term warfarin therapy.