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Polyarteritis nodosa and the antiphospholipid syndrome

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Summary

We report a case of biopsy-proven polyarteritis nodosa (classic type) in association with the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Medium-sized arteriopathy was confirmed on visceral angiography. Elevated anticardiolipin antibodies were detected before initiating therapy with methylprednisolone and IV pulse cyclophosphamide. Rapid subsidence of symptoms correlated with a gradual normalisation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. After 6 months of therapy anticardiolipin antibodies were within normal limits. Only one similar case has been reported so far.

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Schoonjans, R., Van Vlem, B., Weyers, S. et al. Polyarteritis nodosa and the antiphospholipid syndrome. Clin Rheumatol 15, 410–413 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230368

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230368

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