Bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion associated with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
A 39-year-old woman presented with a right-hemispheric stroke 1 year after she had suffered a left-hemispheric stroke. Her diagnostic workup was notable for bilateral occlusions of the internal carotid arteries at their origins and a positive lupus anticoagulant antibody test. There was no evidence of carotid dissection or another identifiable cause for her carotid occlusions. These findings suggest that the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome may be implicated in the pathological changes that resulted in occlusions of the extracranial internal carotid arteries. Young stroke patients who present with unexplained internal carotid artery occlusions may benefit from testing for the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies.
Stanford School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and the Stanford Stroke Center, Calif., USA.
Pria
P
Anand
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and the Stanford Stroke Center, Calif., USA.
Sharan K
SK
Mann
Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., USA.
Nancy J
NJ
Fischbein
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and the Stanford Stroke Center, Calif., USA.
Maarten G
MG
Lansberg
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome; Carotid artery occlusion; Cerebral arteriopathy; Ischemic stroke