Hughes Syndrome: Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is at the root of diverse conditions such as stroke, leg vein thrombosis and recurrent miscarriages. It is easily prevented and treated using commonly available drugs including low-dose aspirin. This second edition fulfils the need for a cross-disciplinary clinical textbook and contains contributions from the leading international authorities.

Described as one of the major new diseases of the late 20th century, APS is a disease of multi-specialty and is of increasing interest to obstetricians, rheumatologists, hematologists, dermatologists, neurologists and immunologists.

The second edition of Hughes Syndrome: Antiphospholipid Syndrome addresses the complete range of conditions produced by this common disorder which is also known as APS or "sticky blood" syndrome. APS is one of the main causes of strokes (40%), leg deep vein thrombosis, and recurrent miscarriages in women. It is an important risk factor for thrombosis in women taking the oral contraceptive pill.

The effects of this syndrome were found initially in thrombosis, obstetrics (APS is the most common treatable cause of recurrent pregnancy loss) and neurology. Its impact is now felt in a diverse range of conditions. These include surgery (graft rejection), orthopedics (avascular necrosis, DVT), psychiatry (memory loss), cardiology (pulmonary hypertension, valvular disease, angina), ENT (vertigo), pediatrics (young strokes, epilepsy) to name but a few.

This new and updated text reflects the growth in published literature on APS and the widening ramifications of the disease. APS is a multi-specialty disease and is of increasing interest to obstetricians, rheumatologists, hematologists, dermatologists, neurologists and immunologists.