Anticoagulation therapy in the antiphospholipid syndrome: recent advances.
OBJECTIVE
The antiphospholipid syndrome is currently best treated with anticoagulation. This review discusses the recent literature addressing the duration, intensity, and appropriateness of anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy in various clinical subcategories of this syndrome.


RESULTS
Several recent articles reaffirm the benefits of long-term anticoagulation in patients with venous thromboembolism or undergoing renal transplantation and support recommendations for usual International Normalized Ratio targets. Aspirin seems to confer benefits similar to those of anticoagulation in arterial stroke. Appropriate anticoagulation strategies for pregnancy are controversial.


CONCLUSIONS
Anticoagulation will remain the mainstay of treatment for most patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. The optimal therapy for specific subgroups of patients will, however, require further good-quality studies.
Ng
Heng Joo
HJ
Department of Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
Crowther
Mark A
MA
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin; D001241:Aspirin