Clinical pediatrics
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Clinical pediatrics · Jul 2008
Case ReportsA case of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in an adolescent girl with parvovirus B19 infection.
Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent thrombosis and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Clinical presentations are dependent on the affected vessels and organs. The most common presentation of antiphospholipid syndrome is arterial or venous thrombosis. ⋯ Clinical manifestations of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome are complex with multiple organ involvement, resulting in renal insufficiency, heart failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and liver involvement. Early diagnosis and aggressive therapies are essential in this condition because of the extremely high mortality rate. Herein, the case of a 14-year-old girl with catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome that was previously misdiagnosed as a vasculitis related to parvovirus B19 infection is presented.