A peripheral vascular syndrome overlapping with systemic lupus erythematosus. Recurrent venous thrombosis and hemorrhagic capillary proliferation with circulating anticoagulants and false-positive seroreactions for syphilis.
Three women and five men with chronic biological false-positive seroreactions for syphilis and circulating anticoagulants exhibited a vascular syndrome consisting of recurrent deep venous thrombosis of the extremities and necrotizing purpura with painful superfacial starlike ulcers around the ankles. The skin biopsies revealed a unique picture of massive proliferation of hemorrhagic dermal capillaries without a significant inflammatory reaction. Some virus infection may function as a trigger of this peripheral vascular syndrome, because 6 of the 8 patients had a preceding pneumonia with pleural vascular effusion. Considering that the three women had clinical and laboratory evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) this syndrome may be related to SLE.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011693:Purpura; D012008:Recurrence; D013577:Syndrome; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000473:pathology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000145:classification*