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 Read about events on Capitol Hill, funding for rare-disease research, and other topics of interest from NORD's office in Washington, DC.
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"Resources" on this report.
Copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2007
NORD is very grateful to Robert A. S. Roubey, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Thurston Arthritis Research Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Synonyms of Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
- APLS
- APS
- Hughes syndrome
- lupus anticoagulant syndrome
- PAPS
- primary antiphospholipid syndrome
Disorder Subdivisions
- CAPS
- catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (Asherson’s syndrome)
General Discussion
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by recurring blood clots (thromboses). Blood clots can form in any blood vessel of the body. The specific symptoms and severity of APS vary greatly from case to case depending upon the exact location of a blood clot and the organ system affected. APS may occur as an isolated disorder (primary antiphospholipid syndrome) or may occur along with another autoimmune disorder such as systemic lupus erythematosus (secondary antiphospholipid syndrome).
APS is characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the body. Antibodies are specialized proteins produced by the body’s immune system to fight infection. In individuals with APS, certain antibodies mistakenly attack healthy tissue. In APS, antibodies mistakenly attack certain proteins that bind to phospholipids, which are fat molecules that are involved in the proper function of cell membranes. Phospholipids are found throughout the body. The reason these antibodies attack these proteins and the process by which they cause blood clots to form is not known.
Organizations related to Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- APS Foundation of America, Inc
PO Box 801
624 North 10th Street
Suite 4
La Crosse WI 54602-0801
Phone #: 608-782-2626
800 #: N/A
e-mail: apsfa@apsfa.org
Home page: http://www.apsfa.org
- American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
22100 Gratiot Avenue
Eastpointe MI 48021
Phone #: 586-776-3900
800 #: 800-598-4668
e-mail: aarda@aarda.org
Home page: http://www.aarda.org/
- Antiphospholipid Antibody Support Group
Marvin Nelson
4228 Deer Path Road
Apex NC 27539-7282
Phone #: 919-362-8977
800 #: N/A
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://www.egroups.com/group/aplsuk
- Autoimmune Information Network, Inc
PO Box 4121
Brick NJ 08723
Phone #: 732-664-9259
800 #: N/A
e-mail: autoimmunehelp@aol.com
Home page: http://www.aininc.org
- Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg MD 20898-8126
Phone #: 301-251-4925
800 #: 888-205-2311
e-mail: ordr@od.nih.gov
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx
- Hughes Syndrome Foundation
Louise Coote Lupus Unit
Gassiot House
St. Thomas' Hospital
London None SE1 7EH
Phone #: 020-7-1-88-8217
800 #: N/A
e-mail: hsf@btconnect.com
Home page: http://www.hughes-syndrome.org
- Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
2000 L Street NW
Suite 710
Washington DC 20036
Phone #: 202-349-1155
800 #: 800-558-0121
e-mail: info@lupus.org
Home page: http://www.lupus.org
- MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
- Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
- National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia
120 White Plains Road
Suite 100
Tarrytown NY 10591
Phone #: 914-220-5040
800 #: 877-466-2568
e-mail: info@stoptheclot.org
Home page: http://stoptheclot.org/index.htm
- National Stroke Association
9707 East Easter Lane
Englewood CO 80112-3747
Phone #: 303-649-9299
800 #: 800-787-6537
e-mail: info@stroke.org
Home page: http://www.stroke.org
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