ABSTRACT
Apart from occlusions involving a large variety of venous and arterial vessels, antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) have been associated less frequently with a number of other clinical manifestations. Some of these complications are more often associated with aPL antibodies (e.g., chorea, livedo reticularis) while others occur less frequently. Clearly, thrombotic occlusions may be the underlying pathogenetic mechanism operating in some, but other factors, as yet unidentified, may be responsible in conditions such as chorea or pulmonary hypertension. Skin lesions occurring in association with aPL antibodies may comprise a variety of cutaneous and subcutaneous manifestations similar to vascular occlusions seen in vessels to other organs. Livedo reticularis, a cyanotic, geographically distributed “network” pattern of dilated superficial veins, often precipitated or aggravated by cold, may occur in normal children and adults.
