Antiphospholipid syndrome in a patient with type I diabetes presenting as retinal artery occlusion

Ophthalmologic manifestations in primary antiphospholipid syndrome patients: A cross-sectional analysis of a primary antiphospholipid syndrome cohort (APS-Rio) and systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

There is a broad spectrum of eye involvement in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The majority of descriptions are presented as case reports that include mostly APS patients secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with no compelling evidence in primary APS (PAPS). This study aimed to describe ocular manifestations in our well-defined PAPS cohort (APS-Rio) and then perform a systematic literature review (SLR) of ocular manifestations in patients with APS or positivity to aPL without SLE.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed PAPS patients followed at our outpatient clinics. All patients fulfilled Sydney APS classification criteria (2006). We evaluated them for ocular symptoms and previous ocular diagnoses. Antiphospholipid antibodies and clinical APS manifestations were compared between patients with and without ocular manifestations. For the SLR, electronic databases were searched up to November 2019.

RESULTS

We studied 105 PAPS patients; 90.5% were female and 56.2% were Caucasian. We found ocular manifestations in 37.1% of our cohort. Thrombosis was the main criteria manifestation (95.2%) and lupus anticoagulant was the most prevalent antibody. Ophthalmologic diagnoses were present in 7 patients, with 5 having retinal vessels thromboses. Amaurosis fugax was the leading complaint, present in 30 patients. In the univariate analysis, amaurosis fugax was related to livedo (p = 0.005), Raynaud's phenomenon (p = 0.048) and the presence of anticardiolipin antibody (≥40 GPL/MPL) (p = 0.041). Hemianopia was associated with arterial hypertension (p = 0.049). In the multivariate analysis, the only association found was between livedo and amaurosis fugax (OR 4.09, 95%CI 1.5-11.11, p = 0.006). Our SLR incorporated 96 articles of ocular manifestations in patients with PAPS or positivity to aPL without SLE. Ocular findings varied from 5 to 88%, including anterior and posterior segments, orbital and neuro-ophthalmologic changes.

CONCLUSION

There is little evidence on ocular manifestations in PAPS. We described an association between livedo and amaurosis fugax. Prospective studies are needed to promote the best treatment and avoid blindness in PAPS patients.

Diabetic thigh muscle infarction in association with antiphospholipid antibodies

BACKGROUND

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. DMI has a stereotyped clinical presentation and characteristic, though nonspecific, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histologic findings. The etiology, however, remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To present the first reported cases of DMI in association with positive antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody titers and to discuss the etiologic and pathogenic significance of the association between type 1 diabetes and aPL antibodies.

METHODS

Descriptive case reports of 2 patients with DMI and positive aPL antibodies and a review of the relevant literature.

RESULTS

Our 2 patients with DMI are female type-1 diabetics with end-organ microvascular complications who presented with an abrupt, painful swelling or mass of the thigh musculature. The diagnosis of DMI was based on the clinical picture and the findings on T2-weighted MRI and histologic evaluation. The first patient had a long history of known aPL antibodies in the setting of systemic lupus erythematosus. The second patient was only determined to be aPL positive after her recurrent episodes of DMI. The first patient was treated with anticoagulation and corticosteroids with relatively rapid resolution of symptoms. The second patient was treated with local débridement and supportive care with a resulting course of prolonged symptoms and recurrences. There are no controlled trials of the treatment of DMI. In the literature there is evidence for an increased prevalence of aPL antibodies in type 1 diabetic patients. The pathogenesis of DMI is poorly understood, but the hypercoagulable state often associated with aPL antibodies may play an important role.

CONCLUSIONS/RELEVANCE

aPL antibodies may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic muscle infarction and could serve as an important target of therapeutic intervention, namely with anticoagulation.

Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia as a complication of diabetes mellitus

A mature-onset diabetic patient who developed microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MHA) is presented. Although numerous causes of hemolysis are reported in the literature, MHA is a rare complication of diabetes. The proposed mechanism of hemolytic anemia is thought to be related to the abnormal formation of cell membranes in the diabetic environment. The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid in the core of the membrane is altered in diabetics; as a result, the red blood cell wall becomes rigid and nondeformable. The abnormal cells becomes disrupted as they circulate through the microangiopathic blood vessels. The mechanism of action of the antiplatelet agents is to enhance cell membrane compliance. With improved cell-wall compliance, one can expect a reduction in hemolysis, as occurred in our patient. The literature on diabetes mellitus-related microangiopathic hemolytic anemia is reviewed.