Lupus vasculitis: differential diagnosis with antiphospholipid syndrome.
The inflammatory process of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) vasculitis occurs in up to 56% of patients with SLE, whereas the vaso-occlusive incidence of antiphospholipid syndrome in SLE (which is not exclusive of SLE vasculitis) reaches up to 15%. Both situations can be life-threatening, requiring the appropriate therapeutic approach. Aggressive anti-inflammatory therapy is used in the case of SLE vasculitis and aggressive antithrombotic/anticoagulant treatment in the other. However, often the differential diagnosis between the two entities is difficult to achieve, especially when a tissue biopsy to help establish the diagnosis is topographically difficult to obtain or is clinically contraindicated. Such situations are discussed and appropriate guidelines for a correct diagnosis suggested.
Golan
Theo Dov
TD
Division of Clinical Immunology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, POB 4940, Haifa, IL-31048, Israel.
D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020945:Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology