A CATASTROPHIC ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME - THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH-LEVELS OF WARFARIN ANTICOAGULATION

We report the clinical observation of a 23-year-old woman affected by the so-called 'catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome'. Within a 3-mon th period she suffered a number of thrombotic events and haemolytic an aemia with thrombocytopenia and had high levels of immunoglobulins G a nd M and anticardiolipin antibodies associated with lupus anticoagulan t activity. The severity of the clinical and laboratory changes is des cribed and diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties are discussed. The apparent control of thrombotic events only with high levels of warfari n anticoagulation is stressed.