Long-term follow-up of antiphospholipid syndrome: real-life experience from a single center.
Rosa Serrano, Guillermo J Pons-Estel, Gerard Espinosa, Rosana M Quintana, Joan C Reverter, Dolors Tassies, Joan Monteagudo, Ricard Cervera
Author Information
Rosa Serrano: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ORCID
Guillermo J Pons-Estel: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ORCID
Gerard Espinosa: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Rosana M Quintana: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ORCID
Joan C Reverter: Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Dolors Tassies: Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Joan Monteagudo: Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Ricard Cervera: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to assess the prevalence of the main clinical manifestations and laboratory features at disease onset and during the ensuing 10 years of a large cohort of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) from a single center. METHODS: The study included all consecutive APS patients followed longitudinally in our center from 2003 to 2013. Descriptive statistics for demographics, clinical and laboratory features and mortality were performed. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients were included. Most of them, 128 (78.8%), were women and the mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 39.1 (14.0) years. The majority of them, 104 (65.0%), had primary APS, 36 (22.5%) had APS associated with systemic lupus erythematous, and 20 (12.5%) had APS associated with other autoimmune disease. During the study period, thrombotic events occurred in 27 (16.9%) patients, the most common being strokes, nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis and deep venous thrombosis. Regarding obstetric morbidity, 18 women (14.3%) became pregnant and 90% of pregnancies succeeded in having live births. The most common obstetric complication was early pregnancy loss (15% of pregnancies). Prematurity (11.1% of live births) and intrauterine growth restriction (5.6% of live births) were the most frequent fetal morbidities. Ten (6.3%) patients died and the most frequent causes of death were severe thrombosis, hemorrhage, and cancer. Three (0.9%) cases of catastrophic APS occurred. The survival probability at 10 years was 93.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with APS develop significant morbidity and mortality despite current treatment. It is imperative to identify prognostic factors and therapeutic measures to prevent these complications.
