Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), or: Hughes syndrome, is an autoimmune disease that affects predominantly young women in their reproductive ages. The disease causes thromboses, recurring miscarriage and intrauterine foetal death without any explicable reason. The blood of these patients contains specific autoantibodies directed against cardiolipin or other phospholipid-binding proteins such as beta-2-glycoprotein I, prothrombin or annexin.

Laboratory testing: Antiphospholipid antibodies, for example cardiolipin antibodies and antibodies against phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl inositol or phosphatidyl serine may also be detected in plasma of APS patients. These antibodies are measured as complexes with beta-2-glycoprotein I.