Antiphospholipid Syndrome News

Preventing a first clotting event with aspirin may be the only truly effective treatment option in antiphospholipid syndrome, according to a presenter at the 2021 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-East.

This past spring, two studies shed light on how some of the largest clinician organizations and publishers in rheumatology, including the American College of Rheumatology and EULAR, have failed to provide adequate training materials or clear guidelines when it comes to caring for patients of color.

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease, but especially those with autoimmune conditions, as well as those treated with rituximab, may be at greater risk for severe COVID-19 pneumonia than the general population, according to data.

COVID-19 is more severe, with more complications and higher mortality, than influenza among patients with autoimmune disease, according to data published in Rheumatology.

Low complement levels prior to pregnancy are associated with an increased risk for adverse outcomes, including stillbirth and fetal loss, among patients with antiphospholipid antibodies, according to a speaker at ACR Convergence 2020.

A significant proportion of patients with COVID-19 — up to 52% by one metric — are at least transiently positive for potentially pathogenic antiphospholipid autoantibodies, according to a speaker at ACR Convergence.

The emergence of multiple documents outlining treatment recommendations for antiphospholipid syndrome between 2018 and 2020 has saved lives, according to a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-West.

Although patients with antiphospholipid syndrome may ask to halt their anticoagulation if their symptoms are stable, there remains serious risk for recurrent thrombosis, noted a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-West.

It is essential that rheumatologists aim for “low” or “quiescent” disease activity several months before conception in their patients who desire to become pregnant, according to a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-East.

The COVID-19 pandemic, in places like Detroit, with a large working-class population, can highlight the gap between the rich and the poor. It can demonstrate how political unrest can impact the response to a critical situation. Moreover, it can show how health care workers can face both personal and professional challenges in managing an outbreak of this magnitude.