The antiphospholipid syndrome.

The antiphospholipid syndrome, now 13 years old, embraces almost all specialties. After a slow start-possibly because many early descriptions were published largely in the rheumatology literature, the syndrome has become recognised worldwide as a major cause of venous-arterial thrombosis, strokes, valvular disease and recurrent abortion. Its prevalence may soon overtake that of its "parent' disease, Lupus.