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"Resources" on this report.
Copyright 2007
NORD is very grateful to Ronald A. Asherson, MD, Professor of Immunology, University of the Witwatersrand, and Consultant Rheumatologist, The Rosebank Clinic, both in Johannesburg, South Africa, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Synonyms of Asherson's Syndrome
- CAPS
- Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Disorder Subdivisions
General Discussion
Asherson’s syndrome is an extremely rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the development, over a period of hours, days or weeks, of rapidly progressive blood clots affecting multiple organ systems of the body. Conditions such as infections, immunizations, wounds caused due to physical trauma and failure in the anticoagulation mechanism of the body usually act as "triggers".
The syndrome is particularly common among patients with antiphospholipid syndrome who experience a cessation of the anticoagulation mechanism rleated to recurrent bleeding in the body. It is usually seen in patients who have previously suffered from a simple/classic episode of antiphospholipid syndrome. It is not known why patients of antiphospholipid syndrome often have the tendency to be "catapulted" into a serious or fatal multiorgan failure, while the same triggers in other individuals may only result in recurrent large vessel thrombosis. The symptoms are also aptly observed in patients during pregnancy or in the weeks after childbirth (puerperium) and may follow the HELLP syndrome or be associated with malignancies. Symptoms vary from case to case depending upon the specific organ systems involved. Asherson’s syndrome can rapidly result in life-threatening multiorgan failure.
Asherson’s syndrome is a severe variant of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder in which blood clots occur in relation to the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the body. Antibodies are specialized proteins produced by the body’s immune system to fight infection. In autoimmune disorders, antibodies mistakenly attack healthy tissue. In APS and Asherson’s syndrome, 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.
Asherson’s syndrome may occur in individuals who have primary or secondary APS or in individuals with lupus or other autoimmune disorders. In some cases, no previous history of these disorders may be present. The exact cause of Asherson’s syndrome is unknown.
Organizations related to Asherson's Syndrome
- APS Foundation of America, Inc
PO Box 801
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
- AutoImmunity Community
None
None None None
Phone #: (91-9) -552-9057
800 #: N/A
e-mail: moderator@autoimmunitycommunity.org
Home page: http://www.autoimmunitycommunity.org
- 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: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
- 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
- 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://www.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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