Central retinal artery occlusion in Sneddon's disease associated with antiphospholipid antibodies

Comprehensive insights of Sneddon syndrome: A clinical perspective

BACKGROUND

Sneddon's syndrome is a rare thrombotic vasculopathy characterized by the coexistence of both cerebrovascular events and livedo reticularis.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to raise awareness among physicians by discussing the whole clinical spectrum of the disease. Typically, Sneddon syndrome presents in middle-aged women with a cerebrovascular accident and a preexisting skin rash, which is livedo reticularis. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, relying on a high index of suspicion. Management focuses mainly on reducing the risk of cerebral infarctions and alleviating symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Further research is necessary to better understand the disease's nature, which will contribute to improving early diagnosis and optimal management.

Unusual case of retinal arterial branch occlusion: possible variant of Sneddon syndrome

Sneddon's syndrome (SS) manifests through multiple strokes and livedo reticularis. Livedoid vasculopathy (VL) is characterized by a long history of foot and leg ulceration and histopathology indicating a thrombotic process. Arterial retinal branch occlusion is described in a 52-year-old male with VL. He did not present noticeable laboratory abnormalities, such as antiphospholipid antibodies, or a history of strokes. Retinal artery occlusion accompanied by VL could be a variant of Sneddon's syndrome. Optical coherence tomography angiography revealed a reduction in the macula's vascular layers in the asymptomatic eye, indicating localized microvascular changes as an evolving marker in the pathogenesis of SS.

A novel PAX3 mutation in a Korean patient with Waardenburg syndrome type 1 and unilateral branch retinal vein and artery occlusion: a case report

Background

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a very rare genetic disorder affecting the neural crest cells. Coexistence of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) in the same eye is also a rare finding. Here we report a case of WS type 1 that was confirmed by a novel mutation with the finding of unilateral BRVO and BRAO.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old, white-haired Korean man presented with a complaint of loss of vision in the inferior visual field of his right eye and hearing loss. He had telecanthus with a medial eyebrow and a hypochromic left iris. Funduscopy showed an ischemic change at the posterior pole in the right eye with sparing of the foveal center as well as retinal hemorrhages and white patches along the superotemporal arcade. Fundus angiography revealed the presence of both BRVO and BRAO, and optical coherence tomography showed thickening and opacification of the retinal layers corresponding to the ischemic area. A blood workup revealed hyperhomocysteinemia and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies; both are suggestive as the cause of the BRVO and BRAO. Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed a novel PAX3 mutation at 2q35 (c.91–95 ACTCC deletion causing a frameshift). These findings confirmed a diagnosis of WS type 1.

Conclusions

WS is a heterogeneous inherited disorder of the neural crest cells that causes pigment abnormalities and sensorineural hearing loss. This is the first report of unilateral BRVO and BRAO in a patient with WS. Furthermore, the PAX3 mutation identified in this patient has not been reported previously.

BRANCH RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION ASSOCIATED WITH PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY IN A PATIENT WITH LIVEDO RETICULARIS

PURPOSE

To report the occurrence of a branch retinal artery occlusion with paracentral acute middle maculopathy in an otherwise healthy young man with a history of livedo reticularis (LR).

METHODS

Retrospective case report.

PATIENTS

A 21-year-old man with a history of LR being treated with pentoxifylline developed an acute branch retinal artery occlusion with initial best-corrected visual acuity at presentation of 20/80.

RESULTS

A thorough diagnostic work up was negative for potential causes of branch retinal artery occlusion or LR. The patient was continued on pentoxifylline and started on aspirin 81 mg daily. At five-month follow-up, vision had improved to 20/25. Optical coherence tomography testing showed a hyperreflective band in the inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layers in the affected eye that ultimately thinned, consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first case of branch retinal artery occlusion occurring in a patient with a history of LR. This could potentially be an early manifestation of Sneddon syndrome, a rare entity characterized by LR and cerebrovascular disease, which has been previously associated with central retinal artery occlusions.

Sneddon's Syndrome

Sneddon's syndrome refers to the enigmatic association of ischaemic stroke and livedo reticularis. We review the Sneddon's syndrome literature examining the association of this condition with headache, including migraine. Case reports and series are stratified into two groups based on headache reference. In the group without a reference to headache, there are 208 persons, with a female to male ratio of 3 : 1. In the headache reference group, there are 175 persons, with a female to male ratio of 3.5 : 1. The proportion with headache in this second group is 58% (102 individuals), with headache described as migraine in 28 (27.5%) of the headache subjects, including six with migraine with aura. The frequency of headache is not significantly higher in persons with positive anti-phospholipid antibodies compared with the negative cohort (43% vs. 32%, P = 0.07). A review of the histopathological, radiological and serological data in Sneddon's syndrome and migraine underscores the plausibility of an association. Considered in the context of increased risk of stroke with migraine, a higher frequency of livedo in migraineurs with stroke, and the association of migraine and livedo reticularis, the question of whether livedo reticularis may be a risk marker for stroke in migraineurs is an area for further study.

Acute central retinal artery occlusion associated with livedoid vasculopathy: a variant of Sneddon's syndrome

Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is characterized by a long history of ulceration of the feet and legs and histopathology indicating a thrombotic process. We report a case of acute central retinal artery occlusion in a 32-year-old woman who had LV. She showed no discernible laboratory abnormalities such as antiphospholipid antibodies and no history of cerebrovascular accidents. Attempted intra-arterial thrombolysis showed no effect in restoring retinal arterial perfusion or vision. The central retinal artery occlusion accompanied by LV in this case could be regarded as a variant form of Sneddon's syndrome, which is characterized by livedo reticularis and cerebrovascular accidents.

Transient retinal venous and arterial occlusive events in a case of sneddon syndrome

PURPOSE

We report a case with venous and arterial occlusive events in Sneddon syndrome and describe the accompanying fluorescein angiographic findings.

METHODS

Observational case report.

RESULTS

This 27-year-old white woman developed acute visual loss and a central scotoma in her right eye in consequence of a central retinal vein occlusion and, 2 years later, a paracentral scotoma in her left eye in consequence of an incomplete branch retinal artery occlusion. Fluorescein angiography revealed an unusual laminar hyperfluorescence downstream to the arterial obstruction. Patient became seropositive for anticardiolipin antibodies in the course of the 2 years. Eventually, the ocular together with neurologic and cardiac manifestations led to the diagnosis of Sneddon syndrome.

CONCLUSION

Sneddon syndrome should be considered in any ocular vascular occlusive event under the age of 50 years. In addition, this case reports for the first time unusual fluorescein angiographic findings of incomplete branch retinal arterial occlusions, possibly associated with endothelial damage in Sneddon syndrome.

Anticardiolipin antibodies and ocular disease

This paper reviews anticardiolipin antibodies and ocular disease. Its aim is to present the latest knowledge regarding the relationship between the two. It focuses mainly on ocular features and treatment, but also describes the epidemiology, main systemic features, immunology, and immunopathology of the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Ocular involvement in primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Ocular involvement in primary APS

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ocular findings in patients with the primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty-two patients (44 eyes) with primary APS (17 women, 5 men) were examined. All patients were younger than 50 years (median age; 37.5 years). In 18 patients, fundus flourescein angiography was performed in addition to the ophthalmologic examination.

RESULTS

Sixteen patients (72.7%) described visual symptoms. Anterior segment was normal in 19 patients (86.4%). Posterior segment abnormalities were observed in 15 patients (68.2%). Venous dilatation and tortuosity were the most common ocular findings. Retinal vascular occlusive disease was detected in 5 patients (22.7%). Flourescein angiography abnormalities were noted in 14 of the 18 patients (77.8%). The most common angiographic finding was pigment epithelial window defects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that posterior eye segment involvement is relatively common in the primary APS. It also seems that the screening for APS is important in young patients with retinal vascular occlusion, especially in those without conventional risk factors.

Retinocochleocerebral vasculopathy

We report 10 patients with retinocochleocerebral vasculopathy and review the clinical and diagnostic considerations in previously reported patients with this uncommonly recognized disease. The clinical manifestations include acute and subacute multifocal and diffuse encephalopathic symptoms, hearing loss, and visual loss attributable to microangiopathy affecting the arterioles of the brain, retina, and cochlea. Diagnosis is facilitated by demonstration of retinal arteriolar occlusions without uveitis or keratoconjunctivitis, mid- to low-frequency unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and numerous small foci of increased signal in the white and gray matter on T2 weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging. Because many conditions may produce any combination of strokelike cerebral symptoms, encephalopathy, hearing loss, and visual loss, the differential diagnosis for retinocochleocerebral vasculopathy includes connective tissue disease, demyelinating disease, procoagulant state, infection, neoplasm, and more routine mechanisms of cerebral and retinal ischemia. Brain biopsy specimens demonstrate only minimal nonspecific periarteriolar chronic inflammatory cell infiltration with or without microinfarcts. The demonstration of subclinical arteriolar microangiopathy in muscle biopsy specimens, documented in 3 of our patients may assist in making the diagnosis. The clinical course appears to be monophasic. In addition to corticosteroids, treatment options include immunosuppressant agents (cyclophosphamide or azathioprine) aspirin, calcium channel blockers (nimodipine), intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis. The etiology of the disease is unknown, but histopathologic and laboratory evidence suggests that an immune-mediated mechanism may be involved.

Antiphospholipid syndrome and the skin

The antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired multisystem disorder of hypercoagulation, which may be primary or secondary to underlying diseases. Serologic markers for the syndrome are the lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies. Clinical features include recurrent thrombotic events (arterial or venous), repeated fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia. Cutaneous manifestations may occur as the first sign of antiphospholipid syndrome. These include livedo reticularis, necrotizing vasculitis, livedoid vasculitis, thrombophlebitis, cutaneous ulceration and necrosis, erythematous macules, purpura, ecchymoses, painful skin nodules, and subungual splinter hemorrhages. Antiphospholipid syndrome may also be associated rarely with anetoderma, discoid lupus erythematosus, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, or disorders that closely resemble Sneddon or Degos syndromes. Noninflammatory vascular thrombosis is the most frequent histopathologic feature observed. Prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome relies principally on anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a multiple-system disorder characterized by persistently elevated antiphospholipid antibodies and/or arterial or venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, or recurrent spontaneous abortion. Anticardiolipin antibodies and the lupus anticoagulant are different classes of antiphospholipid antibodies associated with this disorder. Cutaneous manifestations are common and may be the presenting sign of the underlying disease. This article reviews the clinical manifestations, laboratory assays, histopathologic features, and treatment of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Antiphospholipid-protein antibodies are not an uncommon feature in retinal venous occlusions

The Primary Antiphospholipid Protein Syndrome (PAPS) is characterised by venous and/or arterial thromboses and recurrent foetal loss, in the presence of the Lupus Anticoagulant (LA), elevated antibodies to cardiolipin (ACA) or both. This investigation evaluates the relation between the PAPS and Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO). Forty-eight consecutive patients with RVO were screened for ACA and LA. PAPS was present in 16 (33%) of the patients. Our results suggest that testing Antiphospholipid-Protein Antibodies (APA) may be useful in these patients, together with the assessment of other vascular risk factors.

A combination of livedo racemosa, occlusion of cerebral blood vessels, and nephropathy: kidney involvement in Sneddon's syndrome

A 59-year-old woman with retinal vein thrombosis and livedo racemosa had hematuria (4+) and proteinuria (1.7 g/day). Skin biopsy showed swollen blood vessel walls with infiltration of mononuclear cells, which were compatible with livedo racemosa (vasculitis). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated multiple lacunar infarctions in the basal ganglia and white matter. Renal biopsy showed that small round cells had infiltrated into the interstitium, and a reticular structure was observed in the glomerular hilus. An amorphous substance composed of a single cell was present in the glomerular capillary lumen. Immunofluorescent study demonstrated the deposition of only IgA, in a segmental pattern differing from the diffuse global mesangial pattern seen in IgA nephropathy. After combined therapy including 40 mg/day prednisolone, 50 mg/day cyclophosphamide, antiplatelet drug, and anticoagulant was started, proteinuria and hematuria improved to 0.5 g/day and 2+, respectively, at the time of discharge. Sneddon's syndrome is a rare entity characterized by livedo racemosa and cerebrovascular lesions. In our patient with livedo racemosa, occlusion of cerebral blood vessels, and nephropathy with segmental immunoglobulin A (IgA) deposition, no antiphospholipid antibodies were detected on routine examination. Dermatologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and nephrologists should be aware of the existence of Sneddon's syndrome with nephropathy (LI-O-N).

Clinicopathologic correlations of the antiphospholipid syndrome

Since the original description and definition of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), a number of distinct clinical manifestations related to it have appeared in the literature. These include vascular obstruction of both veins and arteries, thrombus formation on the endocardium and its consequences, as well as a group of other conditions where vascular obstructive mechanisms are either incompletely understood or unproven, eg, chorea, avascular necrosis, and pulmonary hypertension. Single vessel (large/medium) involvement or multiple vascular occlusions may cause a wide variety of presentations. Any combination of vascular occlusive events may occur in the same individual, and the time interval between them also varies considerably from weeks to months or even years. Rapid chronological occlusive events occurring over days to weeks have been termed the "catastrophic" APS. Most of these complications may be ascribed to the hypercoagulable state of which antiphospholipid antibodies appear either to be "markers" or intimately connected with the highly complex coagulation mechanisms resulting in thrombotic occlusions.

Coagulation abnormalities in ischaemic optic neuropathy

The aetiology of non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION) is multifactorial with local anatomical and systemic haemodynamic abnormalities both playing a role. A careful search for treatable vascular disease risk factors is required to allow rational therapy, to optimise the visual prognosis and to allow new insights into pathogenesis. We describe 7 cases in which there was an associated thrombophilic (prothrombotic) state; 4 had deficiencies of the physiological anticoagulants proteins C and S and antithrombin III and 2 had anti-phospholipid antibody (lupus anticoagulant) syndromes. A further patient had reduced levels of the physiological fibrinolytic agent tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). In 5 patients other risk factors for small vessel occlusive disease were also present, and 4 had recurrent episodes of ION in the same eye. The visual prognosis in these patients may be improved by anticoagulation with warfarin.

The management of acute visual failure

This review of acute visual failure covers the clinical manifestations and management of ocular strokes CRA occlusion, BRA occlusion and AION. The diagnostic process for each patient requires meticulous attention to: 1. Blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, palpation of the temporal arteries, and auscultation of the heart, neck, eyes and head. 2. Dilated funduscopic examination. 3. Immediate blood tests: complete blood count, PT, PTT, platelet count, ESR, fibrinogen level, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride and blood lipids. A test for antiphospholipid antibodies (ACLA and LA) is recommended in unexplained cases of CRA occlusion. Non-invasive investigations should utilise a battery of tests: 1. Carotid non-invasive studies; the useful tests give information about the presence of a haemodynamic lesion (Dopper ultrasonography and oculoplethysmography), analyse the bruit to determine the residual lumen diameter (phonoangiography), or image the artery with ultrasound (B-Scan ultrasonography). 2. Two-dimensional echocardiogram Invasive investigations are required in selected patients: 1. A temporal artery biopsy 2. A carotid arteriogram if the patient is a candidate for endarterectomy. The patient can be screened first with a non-invasive MRA of the neck and brain. 3. A timed FFA, particularly in cases of CRA occlusion when occlusion of the ophthalmic artery is suspected, in cases of AION of possible embolic origin or in AION to document the position of the watershed zone of the choroidal circulation and its relation to the optic nerve head. Emergency treatment in CRA occlusion is designed to lower intra-ocular pressure and dislodge the embolus. In impending CRA occlusion heparin is useful. Urgent systemic corticosteroids are needed when CRA occlusion, or AION are due to arteritis. In other situations treatment is directed towards preventing recurrence or involvement of the other eye by reducing or eliminating identified risk factors.

Antiphospholipid syndrome

The antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), namely, the lupus anticoagulant and the anticardiolipin antibodies, are a family of autoantibodies directed predominantly against negatively charged phospholipids. Many studies have confirmed that patients with these antibodies are prone to repeated episodes of thrombosis, fetal losses, and thrombocytopenia. The association of aPL with these clinical events has been termed the antiphospholipid syndrome. Several skin lesions have been found in patients with this syndrome, including livedo reticularis, livedoid vasculitis, thrombophlebitis, cutaneous infarctions and gangrene of digits, ulcerations, lesions resembling vasculitis (nodules, macules), cutaneous necrosis/infarctions, subungual splinter hemorrhages, and, less commonly, discoid lupus and Degos' disease (malignant atrophic papulosis). In this article, we review the main immunologic and clinical aspects of this syndrome with special emphasis on the dermatologic features.

Sneddon's syndrome and primary antiphospholipid syndrome: a case report

The association between livedo reticularis and cerebrovascular accidents is known as Sneddon's syndrome. We describe a case in which Sneddon's syndrome appeared as a clinical manifestation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus associated with livedo reticularis: case report and review of the literature

Livedo reticularis (LR) has been associated with numerous systemic diseases. Its relationship to diabetes mellitus (DM), however, has been poorly characterized. We report a case of LR in a 17-year-old with type 1 DM.

Retinal migraine, chorea, and retinal artery thrombosis in a patient with primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

We report the case of a patient with the unusual combination of migraine, chorea, and retinal arterial thrombosis along with laboratory evidence of autoimmunity. In the absence of systemic lupus erythematosus, the clinical manifestations suggest the presence of the primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Vaso-occlusive retinopathy in the primary anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome

We report two patients with contrasting patterns of retinal vascular occlusion associated with the primary anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. The immuno-pathological features and clinical associations are discussed. This condition is of interest to ophthalmologists because of its association with thrombosis in the eye, brain and elsewhere and because it provides new insights into the pathogenesis of retinal vascular disease in young patients.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: immunologic and clinical aspects

Antiphospholipid antibody is associated with a clinical syndrome of vascular thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, recurrent fetal loss, and livedo reticularis, whether or not a clinical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) coexists. A positive antiphospholipid antibody test is defined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (antiphospholipid antibody itself) or by coagulation assay (lupus anticoagulant). These are similar but not identical antibodies. The test for syphilis is less closely related to the preceding two and is less regularly associated with clinical complications. The mechanism of action of either antiphospholipid antibody or lupus anticoagulant is as yet unknown. SLE-induced but not infection-induced antiphospholipid antibody has immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) and IgG4 predominance. It recognizes all negatively charged phospholipids, but various physical characteristics of the phospholipids alter the recognition patterns. Treatment for the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome has not been clearly defined. Anticoagulation with aspirin, heparin, or warfarin is currently favored. A role for corticosteroid remains to be demonstrated.

[Sneddon's syndrome: review of the literature apropos of a case]

The authors report the case of a young woman with Sneddon's syndrome and expose literature review. This rare entity is characterized by idiopathic livedo reticularis, ischemic stroke, and occasionally, mild arterial hypertension. Skin biopsy shows endarteritis obliterans of deep dermal arteries. The pathogenesis of this disorder is still unknown and the treatment is not clearly established.

Superficial thrombophlebitis. I. Primary hypercoagulable states

This review concentrates on those disorders in which superficial thrombophlebitis can be a significant or presenting clinical sign. Primary hypercoagulable states are those conditions associated with an increased risk of thrombosis caused by a specific measurable defect in the proteins of coagulation and/or fibrinolytic systems. These disorders are frequently inherited and include deficiencies of antithrombin III, heparin cofactor 2, protein C, protein S, abnormal fibrinolytic activity, dysfibrinogenemia, and Hageman trait. Patients with a lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody syndrome with thrombotic episodes are also considered to have a primary hypercoagulable state. The physiology, pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of primary hypercoagulable states are reviewed.

Superficial migratory thrombophlebitis and the lupus anticoagulant

The lupus anticoagulant is an antiphospholipid antibody found in association with systemic lupus erythematosus and in a variety of other diseases, as well as in healthy individuals. In the laboratory, the antibody interferes with the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and prolongs the partial thromboplastin time. In vivo, it exerts a procoagulant effect resulting in thrombosis, mainly of the larger veins and arteries. The case of a young woman who developed superficial migratory thrombophlebitis in association with a high titer lupus anticoagulant is presented. Her diagnosis was initially missed because the partial thromboplastin time was not elevated. This appears to have resulted from the use of a specific thromboplastin relatively insensitive to the presence of the antibody. Retesting with a more sensitive reagent showed a markedly prolonged partial thromboplastin time.

IGM-containing immune complexes and antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with Sneddon's syndrome

We report three patients with a Sneddon syndrome in whom predominantly small (500-900 kD) IgM-containing serum immune complexes were detectable. Furthermore, antiphospholipid antibodies and increased von Willebrand factor antigen were found in the sera of two cases. Especially the data demonstrating small circulating immune complex as suggest that Sneddon's syndrome, a rare vasculitis disorder, might immunologically be characterized by circulating IgM-containing immune complexes which, in addition, could play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease entity. The elevated antiphospholipid antibodies as well as the increased von Willebrand factor antigen in the sera of the investigated patients have to be considered as nonspecific vasculitis-associated phenomena.

Thrombotic cutaneous nodules and hepatic vein thrombosis in the anticardiolipin syndrome

A patient with the anticardiolipin syndrome presented with hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome) and non-ulcerating, thrombotic, cutaneous nodules. This cutaneous manifestation of the anticardiolipin syndrome has not been described before, though its histological appearances resemble those of previously reported cutaneous complications, such as chronic ulceration, livedo reticularis and distal cutaneous ischaemia. Recognition of the skin lesion could allow the prevention of major systemic complications.

Vaso-occlusive retinopathy associated with antiphospholipid antibodies (lupus anticoagulant retinopathy)

The authors observed three cases (6 eyes) of vaso-occlusive retinopathy associated with the lupus anticoagulant and the related antiphospholipid antibody anticardiolipin. The disease occurred in patients who had no definable autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and was characterized by severe bilateral retinal vascular occlusion. There was profound visual loss from intraretinal ischemia as well as vitreous hemorrhage from preretinal neovascularization. Results of laboratory testing showed a prolonged partial thromboplastin time (PTT) in two patients, and the presence of the lupus anticoagulant in all. Treatment with panretinal photocoagulation appeared to stabilize the neovascularization. The role of systemic anticoagulation and immunosuppressive therapy is uncertain.

Antiphospholipid antibodies: a risk factor for occlusive ocular vascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus and the 'primary' antiphospholipid syndrome

Seven cases of occlusive ocular vascular disease affecting retinal and choroidal vessels were found among 84 consecutive patients with raised levels of anticardiolipin antibodies attending the lupus arthritis clinic at St Thomas's Hospital from 1985 to 1987. Six patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and one with a 'primary antiphospholipid syndrome' had occlusive ocular vascular disease affecting a variety of vessels. This gives a prevalence of occlusive ocular vascular disease of 8% in this subgroup of patients, significantly higher than the 0.5-2.0% previously reported in patients with SLE. Four of these patients also suffered from cerebrovascular disease, supporting the previously documented association between occlusive ocular vascular disease and central nervous system disease in SLE. Additionally, other features of the antiphospholipid syndrome were frequently present. These findings suggest that patients with SLE and raised anticardiolipin antibodies have a higher risk of developing occlusive ocular vascular disease than has been previously reported.

Sneddon's syndrome (livedo reticularis and cerebral thrombosis) with livedo vasculitis and anticardiolipin antibodies

A patient with widespread livedo reticularis and transient cerebral ischaemia (Sneddon's syndrome) is described. She also had painful scarring ulcers of the lower legs resembling livedo vasculitis and a circulating anticardiolipin antibody. We suggest that Sneddon's syndrome and livedo vasculitis may be pathogenetically related.

The spectrum of livedo reticularis and anticardiolipin antibodies

We document a study of 65 patients presenting to our clinics, over a 2-year period, with livedo reticularis. All patients were screened for the presence of anti-cardiolipin antibodies and assessed for the presence of central nervous system disease and features of the 'antiphospholipid' syndrome, including venous and arterial thromboses and foetal loss. Patients were also assessed for other clinical features such as Raynaud's phenomenon and valvular lesions. Twenty-eight anti-cardiolipin positive patients were compared with 37 anti-cardiolipin negative patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of cerebrovascular disease (including strokes and transient ischaemic attacks) thrombocytopenia, valvular heart lesions and foetal loss in the anti-cardiolipin positive patients as compared with the anticardiolipin negative groups.