Abstract
A 28-year-old woman who had a history of recurrent abortion developed ulcers on the lower left leg. She showed a prolonged prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The presence of lupus anticoagulant in this patient was suggested by the failure of PT or APTT to return to normal when the patient plasma was mixed 1:1 with normal plasma. A biopsy specimen taken from the ulcerated lesion showed the dilatation and proliferation of dermal capillaries and the extravasation of red blood cells. Histopathologic and immunofluorescence studies of biopsy specimens from the skin lesions failed to demonstrate any evidence of vasculitis. Venography demonstrated a deep venous thrombosis in the left calf and thigh. There were no clinical or laboratory findings suggesting the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus or other systemic diseases.
