Recent advances in pathogenesis and pathophysiology in the antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

  Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder defined by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in plasma of patients with vascular thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity. APS is considered the major cause of brain infarction in young adults and is a generally accepted cause of recurrent pregnancy loss. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies strongly related to the clinical manifestations of APS and with a widely recognized pathogenic role in thrombosis. In this article, recent clinical and pathophysiological advances in APS are discussed.