The cardiovascular pathology of phospholipid antibodies: An illustrative case and review of the literature

Abstract There is some confusion in the literature regarding the pathology associated with phospholipid antibodies. These antibodies, formed to a number of negatively charged phospholipids, are associated with an increased tendency to both arterial and venous thrombosis and embolism and may be manifest in a primary syndrome, a syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosis, or as an isolated phenomenon, which may or may not be associated with thromboembolism. The pathogenesis of thrombosis in these syndromes has not yet been elucidated. Indeed it is not even clearly established that the antibodies have a pathogenic role, as opposed to existing as an epiphenomenon or arising secondary to some form of vascular damage. Clarification of the reported pathologic literature is needed as a basis for studying the pathogenesis of thrombosis in these syndromes, and therefore we present a review of papers that have reported pathology in association with phospholipid antibodies. In order to illustrate the review, we present a typical case of primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.