Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in Mexico. Literature review.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a rare entity, approximately 600 cases have been reported around the world, and the prevalence in Mexico is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the estimated prevalence of CAPS in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A literature search of isolated clinical cases or case series was conducted in diverse search engines, using the terms: "Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome" and "Mexico" in May 2022. RESULTS: We found a series of retrospective cases in autopsies that included 12 cases, two reports that included 2 cases each, and reports of 11 isolated clinical cases; these publications were generated between 2003 and 2020. In total, we collected data on 27 cases of CAPS, of which 16 correspond to primary antiphospholipid syndrome, 10 are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 1 case corresponds to systemic sclerosis. The estimated prevalence rate in the Mexican population in 2022 is 2 cases per 10,000,000 inhabitants. The estimated mortality was 68% in this case series. CONCLUSION: Cases of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in Mexico are underreported; identifying them will help improve current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies used in the country, encouraging the implementation of triple therapy and, in refractory cases, the use of eculizumab, to reduce current mortality.

Zika virus infection in pregnant women in a General Hospital of Veracruz, Mexico.

Objectives: To characterize the symptomatology of the patients affected by the Zika virus and to determine the incidence of congenital syndrome due to Zika in pregnant women in the city of Veracruz, Mexico.Methods: Descriptive, retrospective, and longitudinal study. All the patients in gestation period who attended the general hospital from 1 August to 30 November, 2016 and who met the criterion of suspected case of Zika virus infection. General symptoms and signs, gestational age, and search for fetopathies (ultrasound/fetometry at first contact) and finally incidence of Congenital Zika Syndrome at the end of gestation are analyzed.Results: A total of 103 pregnant women who met the definition of a suspected case of Zika virus infection were admitted to the study, 25 were positive for Zika by serum RT-PCR (24%). In the group of patients who tested positive for Zika by RT-PCR, all had conjunctivitis and arthralgia, followed by rash and pruritus. In this group, the headache was only reported in 84% and fever in 68%. No neonates with craniofacial or other malformations associated with congenital Zika syndrome, were reported.Conclusions: In this cohort, it is evident that the symptomatology presented by pregnant women during the first Zika outbreak in Mexico in 2016 is directly related to the proposed operational definition. There were no complications directly related to pregnancy during the acute virosis.