Ruffatti A, Del Ross T, Ciprian M et al.
University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Ann Rheum Dis 2009;68:397–9.
Editor’s note: Several recent studies have endeavored to identify the predictors of vascular events in patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), but it is difficult to draw conclusions from these owing to the substantial differences in study designs, patient selection criteria, antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody profiles, and the risk factors considered. The objective of this study, performed by the APS Study Group of the Italian Society of Rheumatology, was to assess risk factors for a first thrombotic event in aPL-positive carriers and to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic treatments. Patients recruited to the study were aged 18–65 years, had no history of thrombosis, and were positive for lupus anticoagulant and/or immunoglobulin G(IgG)/IgM anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) on at least 2 occasions
≥6 weeks apart.