Multiple Spinal Cord Infarction due to Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Abstract

Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is quite rare and is usually presented with a sudden onset paralysis, sensory disturbances, lumbar pain and cystic disorders depending on the location of the infarct. A variety of causative factors has been described, but primary antiphospholipid syndrome only in a limited number of case reports. We discuss a case of a 49year old woman with acute right hemiparesis and sensory disturbances below C7 level. T2 weighted sequence MRI showed multiple small hyper intense lesions in the right lateral spinal cord from C6 to C7 and in the poster lateral spinal cord in T1/T2 level consistent with ischemia. The laboratory work-up returned the diagnosis of primary Antiphospholipid syndrome with positive lupus anticoagulant antibodies. This is a case of primary Antiphospholipid syndrome first manifested with multiple ischemic lesions of the spinal cord.

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“…Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) can cause thrombosis of several vessels, including those supplying the spinal cord [ 14 , 15 ]. Although spinal cord infarction from APLS is very rare, there have been some case reports [ 15 ].…”

“…Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) can cause thrombosis of several vessels, including those supplying the spinal cord [ 14 , 15 ]. Although spinal cord infarction from APLS is very rare, there have been some case reports [ 15 ]. This may arise from thrombosis of arteries branching from the artery of Adamkiewicz, most commonly the anterior spinal artery that supplies the lower two-thirds of the spinal cord [ 15 ].…”

“…Although spinal cord infarction from APLS is very rare, there have been some case reports [ 15 ]. This may arise from thrombosis of arteries branching from the artery of Adamkiewicz, most commonly the anterior spinal artery that supplies the lower two-thirds of the spinal cord [ 15 ]. However, the most frequent cause is surgical repair of the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.…”