Seronegative Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome Finally Treated Successfully.

UNLABELLED

We report the case of a 31-year-old woman with a history suggestive of obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) with recurrent miscarriages, preterm labour and intrauterine fetal death. During her last pregnancy, she was referred to the Rheumatology Clinic at King Fahad Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Serology for connective tissue diseases and APS was negative on multiple occasions. During previous pregnancies, her obstetrician had initiated several trials of baby aspirin with and without prophylactic heparin, without success. We diagnosed her with seronegative obstetric APS (SN-APS). A specific regimen, consisting of combination therapy with baby aspirin, low-molecular-weight heparin, hydroxychloroquine (<5 mg/kg/day) and low-dose prednisolone, was attempted. She delivered a healthy baby even though it was born preterm at 30 weeks of gestation because of abruptio placentae. Obstetric SN-APS is rare and should be considered and, if the history is highly suggestive, treated similarly to seropositive obstetric APS to reduce mortality.

LEARNING POINTS

Seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome (SN-APS) is very rare and often missed clinically.SN-APS should be treated similarly to seropositive obstetric APS to reduce recurrence.The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine should be considered 3 months before attempts at conception as it appears to decrease antiphospholipid levels.