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Background: Hypertension is common in the antiphospholipid (Hughes) syndrome (APS) and its cause is poorly understood. Anecdotal evidence suggests that renal artery stenosis (RAS) may be a relevant and treatable cause of hypertension., Objective: To investigate the prevalence of RAS in patients with APS and hypertension., Patients and Methods: Three groups of patients were evaluated: (1) 77 patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (60 secondary APS, 11 primary APS, and 6 with aPL only) and uncontrolled hypertension who were receiving two or more antihypertensive drugs; (2) 91 patients (

Unresponsive autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) may require therapy with second-line drugs. There is no consensus that any one of these agents is more effective than another. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an immunosuppressive drug proven to be effective in reducing renal allograft rejection as well as being used in autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We describe its use in two patients who were treated with MMF for AIHA in the context of underlying SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The patients showed a good response to treatment with MMF, suggesting a possible role in the treatment of AIHA.

The antiphospholipid or Hughes syndrome is the association between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), venous and arterial thromboses and pregnancy morbidity. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) commonly coexists with autoimmune diseases usually systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), when it is known as secondary APS. When present in isolation it is known as primary APS (PAPS). Although the kidney may be affected in APS, its involvement is perhaps not as well described as that of other organs. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) affecting the kidney has been reported as a manifestation in both primary and secondary APS. This report describes hypertension related to underlying renal TMA as a presenting symptom of APS.