Antiphospholipid antibodies and atherosclerosis: insights from systemic lupus erythematosus and primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

The issue of atherosclerosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is receiving considerable attention within and without the autoimmune setting. Measurement of arterial intima media thickness (IMT) of is an easy and surrogate means of detecting subclinical atherosclerosis. This technique has been applied to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nand primary APS in the attempt to unravel a possible association between antiphospholipid antibodies and premature atherosclerosis. The available data is reviewed in the light of the most recent atherogenic pathways that may differentially account for premature vascular disease in SLE and primary APS.