Cardiac and Pulmonary Manifestations in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, hypercoagulability leading to vascular thrombosis, and recurrent fetal loss. Since its recognition, a great number of cardiac manifestations have been reported in association with these antibodies: valvular disease, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy and intracardiac thrombosis. Pulmonary manifestations may be associated with this syndrome in both the primary and secondary forms including pulmonary embolism and infarction, pulmonary hypertension, acute respiratory distress syndrome, intraalveolar hemorrhage, primary thrombosis of lung vessels, both large and small, as well as pulmonary capillaritis. In the present chapter we shall focus on the main cardiac and pulmonary features related to the presence of aPL which may be of interest to clinicians.