Clinical features and pregnancy outcome in antiphospholipid syndrome patients with history of severe pregnancy complications

Abstract

Objective. To clarify the clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) profile in patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods. Clinical records of 13 pregnant patients (15 pregnancies) with obstetrical APS were reviewed over 10 years. Patients who met the Sapporo Criteria fully were studied, whereas those with only early pregnancy loss were excluded. In addition to classical aPL: lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), and anti-β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI); phosphatidylserine-dependent anti-prothrombin antibody (aPS/PT) and kininogen-dependent anti-phosphatidylethanolamine antibody (aPE) were also examined in each case.

Results. Cases were divided into two groups according to patient response to standard treatment: good and poor outcome groups. All cases with poor outcome presented LA, with IgG aβ2GPI and IgG aPS/PT were also frequently observed. IgG aPE did not correlate with pregnancy outcome.

Conclusion. aPL profile may predict pregnancy outcome in patients with this subset of obstetric APS.

Keywords:

• Antiphospholpid syndrome
• Lupus anticoagulant
• Phosphatidylserine-dependent anti-prothrombin antibody
• Pregnancy

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Dr. Julian Tang from the Department of Education for Clinical Research, National Center for Child Health and Development, for proofreading and editing this manuscript.

Conflicts of interest

None.