CATASTROPHIC ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME WITH FATAL ACUTE COURSE IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

A 34-year old woman, with a 3 yr history of severe seropositive rheuma toid arthritis (RA) with lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antib odies, developed a massive anterior myocardial infarction and ischemia of the lower extremities, with disseminated intravascular coagulation resulting from extensive tissue damage. Seven days after admission, s he died of severe heart failure complicated by ventricular fibrillatio n. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of fatal acute antiphospholipid syndrome in RA.