Primary antiphospholipid syndrome as a cause of intestinal infarction.

We describe 2 patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome who developed intestinal infarction. In one it was preceded by intestinal angina and, upon surgery, was found to have a hypertrophied media of mesenteric arteries. In the other, the intestinal infarction developed abruptly and was found to be due to mesenteric thrombosis. Arterial occlusions in primary antiphospholipid syndrome may involve the mesenteric arteries causing intestinal infarction. Some lesions may be proliferative and others thrombotic. Their clinical course may reflect this. Intestinal infarction seems to be part of the clinical spectrum of primary antiphospholipid syndrome.