Neurologic complications of antiphospholipid antibodies

Antiphopholipid antibodies are highly associated with venous and arterial thrombotic episodes, which are often recurrent. Although cerebral and ocular ischemia are the most common neurologic complications of antiphospholipid antibodies, a variety of neurologic syndromes has been associated with them. Recent reports using in vitro systems and animal models strongly suggest that these antibodies may be directly implicated in the pathogenesis of thrombosis rather than simply being markers of a procoagulable state. This article discusses the laboratory diagnosis, clinical features, and treatment of neurologic disease associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.