The role of corticosteroids in primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome presenting as cerebral venous thrombosis in young females at peripartum

ABSTRACT

The clinical study of cerebral venous thrombosis in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in young females at peripartum was done to study the incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies in highly susceptible population groups most commonly at peripartum women. The presence of these antibodies points towards increased susceptibility to thrombosis and ischemic stroke apart from other manifestations in peripartum period. The age group most affected was between 20-25 years. Most of them were primipara. Many of the patients underwent Cesarean section before the presentation with the specific neurological complaint. None of the patients gave positive history for use of oral contraceptive pills. This study showed a 69% incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies out of the total patients studied. It was also found that 66% of the APL positive patients had radiological evidence of cerebral venous thrombosis. To help clarify the significance of aCL in CVT, this study was systematically analyzed and the clinical, radiological, treatment, and outcome information of patients with CVT tested for aCL immunereactivity at our institution and the pertinent literature was systematically reviewed. It was also studied that the most of the patients improved with corticosteroids.