Abstract
Objectives. Essential pathogenic and clinical characteristics of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) as the cause of various neurological syndrome are outlined.
Review. APS is a systemic autoimmune disease, in which the pivotal factor is the presence of antibodies directed against phospholipids commonly found in cell membranes of human organism. Typical symptoms of APS include: venous thrombotic-embolic disease, arterial thrombosis in the brain, moderate thrombocytopenia, and obstetric complications. Cerebral thrombosis may provide pathophysiological conditions underlying ischemic stroke in young adults. The most common neurological symptom of APS is headache. Since the syndrome can cause disorders both in the central and peripheral nervous systems, its neurological manifestations may be diverse. The treatment for APS is based on antiplatelet and anticoagulation oral drugs administered alone or together.
Conclusions. APS should always be taken into consideration when the patient presents with diverse unexplained symptoms, especially of thrombotic-embolic character In diagnosing the APS a good collaboration with hematologists is of utmost importance, since they can help not only with the hematological diagnosis, but also with treatment.