Minerva cardioangiologica
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Nov 1994
Case Reports[Primary antiphospholipid syndrome and cardiac involvement. Description of a clinical case of right atrial thrombosis].
Antiphospholipid syndrome is a well-defined clinical and serological entity characterized by venous and arterial thrombosis, recurrent abortion and thrombocytopenia. The immunological feature shows the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant. Cardiac involvement includes pericardial effusion, myocardial dysfunction, valvular disease, coronary artery occlusion. ⋯ The immunological feature showed the presence of lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid antibodies; the histological examination of the masses, surgically removed, proved they were thrombi coated by endothelial cells. The case reported is very uncommon and offers the opportunity to emphasize the difficulty of diagnostic differentiation of intracardiac masses using echocardiographic imaging: thrombotic masses may present similar characteristics of seat, morphology and echogenicity of other cardiac masses. For these reasons it can be useful to look for antiphospholipid antibodies and lupus anticoagulant in such clinical conditions.