PRIMARY ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME AND RENAL THROMBOTIC MICROANGIOPATHY

We report a patient with the primary antiphospholipid syndrome associated with nephropathy, clinically manifested by proteinuria, haematuria, high blood pressure and mild renal insufficiency. Renal biopsy showed glomerular and arteriolar lesions of thrombotic microangiopathy. Medical treatment combining steroids, cyclophosphamide, and platelet anti-agregant drugs provided improvement in the clinical and immunological pattern, with dissappearance of proteinuria, microhematuria and the lupus anticoagulant, and a substantial decrease of the titre of anticardiolipin antibodies, but renal function remained at a similar level to that before the treatment was initiated.