ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME WITH INVOLVEMENT OF A BIOPROSTHETIC HEART-VALVE

The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is defined broadly by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, venous and arterial thrombos is, thrombocytopenia and fetal wastage. APS can be primary or secondar y, in which APS occurs in the context of another defined disease such as autoimmune disease, malignancy, drug-induced disease, etc. APS is p rimary in one-half of patients and secondary in the rest, mainly to sy stemic lupus erythematosus. Several cardiac manifestations of APS have been reported. These include valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, intracardiac thrombosis and cardiomyopathy. The literature ha s shown a prevalence of approximately 35% of valvular abnormalities de tected by echocardiography in patients with APS. A patient with primar y APS who developed aortic stenosis with vegetations on a bioprostheti c porcine valve is presented.