Antiphospholipid syndrome in Mexican children.
BACKGROUND
Data on pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are very sparse.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the main clinical characteristics, laboratory data and complications of pediatric APS patients, and to analyze the differences between primary APS and APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed clinical and laboratory data of 32 children at the Federico Gomez children's hospital in Mexico. Nineteen patients had SLE, 12 (37.5%) had primary APS and 1 (3%) had immune thrombocytopenic purpura. We collected information on sociodemographic variables, vaccinations, age at onset, and family history of rheumatic disease, hematological disorders, skin disorders and non-thrombotic neurological disorders. Immunological features included immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies, IgG and IgM anti-beta2 glycoprotein I antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, and anti-dsDNA and antinuclear antibodies.


RESULTS
The patients included 24 females and 8 males. The most common thrombotic events were small vessel thrombosis (44%), venous thrombosis (28%) mainly deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in lower extremities, and arterial thrombosis (25%). The most common clinical non-thrombotic manifestations were hematological (53%) and neurological disorders (22%). There were no significant differences between groups with regard to the site of thrombosis, nonthrombotic clinical manifestations or laboratory features.


CONCLUSIONS
There were some important differences between the clinical manifestations of APS in children compared with adults, but we found no significant differences between patients with primary and APS associated with SLE. Larger studies in Latin American APS children are necessary to determine whether there are differences between ethnic groups.
Department of Pediatrics, Hospital General Zona Norte, Puebla, México.
Alfonso
A
Zamora-Ustaran
Ricardo O
RO
Escarcega-Alarcón
Mario
M
Garcia-Carrasco
Enrique
E
Faugier
Samara
S
Mendieta-Zeron
Claudia
C
Mendoza-Pinto
Alvaro
A
Montiel-Jarquin
Margarita
M
Muñoz-Guarneros
Aurelio
A
Lopez-Colombo
Ricard
R
Cervera
D017668:Age of Onset; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies