Antiphospholipid Syndrome - A Case Report of Pulmonary Thromboembolism, Followed with Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patient with Systemic Sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
We are presenting an uncommon case of pulmonary embolism, followed with an acute myocardial infarction, in a patient with progressive systemic sclerosis.


METHODS
A female 40 years of age was admitted with signs of pulmonary embolism, confirmed with CT scan, which also reviled a thrombus in the right ventricle. The patient had medical history of systemic sclerosis since the age of 16 years. She suffered an ischemic stroke 6 years ago, but she was not taking any anticoagulant or antithrombotic medications ever since. She received a treatment with thrombolytic therapy, and subsequent UFH, but, on the second day after receiving fibrinolysis, she felt chest pain accompanied with ECG changes consistent for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Urgent coronary angiography was undertaken, which reviled cloths causing total occlusion in 4 blood vessels, followed with thromboaspiration, but without successful reperfusion. Several hours later the patient developed rapid deterioration with letal ending. During the very short hospital course, blood sampling reviled presence of antiphospholipid antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
The acquired antiphospholipid syndrome is common condition in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, but relatively rare in patients with systemic sclerosis. Never the less, we have to be aware of it when treating the patients with systemic sclerosis.
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Marija
M
Vavlukis
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Irina
I
Kotlar
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Emilija
E
Chaparoska
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Bekim
B
Pocesta
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Hristo
H
Pejkov
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Marjan
M
Boshev
University Clinic of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Sasko
S
Kedev
antiphospholipid syndrome; myocardial infarction; protrombotic state; pulmonary thromboembolism; systemic sclerosis