[Cerebral hemorrhage in a case of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome].

We describe a 36-year-old man with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome complicated by cerebral hemorrhage. In December 1991 he was brought to another hospital with sudden onset of left hemiparesis and status epilepticus. He had been well previously. A CT scan and MRI showed a cerebral hematoma located in the right frontoparietal region. Twelve days later he was transferred to our hospital. Although a CT scan, MRI, and cerebral angiography were repeated, they did not reveal any abnormality regarding an etiology. Only persistently abnormal finding in laboratory studies was positive for lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody, i.e. antiphospholipid antibodies. There was no serological evidence of SLE or other autoimmune diseases. Stereotactic biopsy of the hematoma wall and scalp artery showed no abnormality. Based on above findings we conclude that antiphospholipid antibodies have played an important role for the hemorrhage. Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome should be considered in a case of an unexplained cerebral hemorrhage especially in a young and normotensive patient.