title: Risk of thromboembolic events after recurrent spontaneous abortion in antiphospholipid syndrome: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether patients having antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) as the only aetiological factor for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) are at increased risk of thrombosis later in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study at a tertiary university referral centre. The study group consisted of 57 primary APS and RSA women (APS-RSA group). Control groups included: 86 patients with RSA of unknown aetiology (uRSA group), 42 patients with RSA and thrombophilic genetic defects as the only aetiologic factor for RSA (tRSA group) and 30 antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positive but otherwise healthy women (aPL group). The main measurement was the thrombosis rate after long-term follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  APS-RSA patients had a significantly higher 12-year cumulative thrombotic incidence rate compared with the three comparator groups (19.3% vs 4.8%, 0.0% and 0.0%, respectively (log rank), p<0.001). Patients in the APS-RSA group had 25.6 thrombotic events per 1000 patient-years (95% CI 12.8 to 45.9). The OR of thrombosis in relation to the presence (APS-RSA group) or absence (uRSA and tRSA groups) of aPL in patients with RSA was 15.06 (95% CI 3.2 to 70.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that a history of RSA associated with aPL is a risk factor for subsequent thrombosis in the long term.
authors: Institut Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Hospital Clínic - Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Maria Angeles
authors: MA
authors: Martinez-Zamora
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Peralta
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Creus
authors: Dolors
authors: D
authors: Tassies
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Reverter
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Espinosa
authors: Ricard
authors: R
authors: Cervera
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Carmona
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Balasch
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult