A peripheral vascular syndrome overlapping with systemic lupus erythematosus. Recurrent venous thrombosis and hemorrhagic capillary proliferation with circulating anticoagulants and false-positive seroreactions for syphilis.

Three women and five men with chronic biological false-positive seroreactions for syphilis and circulating anticoagulants exhibited a vascular syndrome consisting of recurrent deep venous thrombosis of the extremities and necrotizing purpura with painful superfacial starlike ulcers around the ankles. The skin biopsies revealed a unique picture of massive proliferation of hemorrhagic dermal capillaries without a significant inflammatory reaction. Some virus infection may function as a trigger of this peripheral vascular syndrome, because 6 of the 8 patients had a preceding pneumonia with pleural vascular effusion. Considering that the three women had clinical and laboratory evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) this syndrome may be related to SLE.