Antiphospholipid antibodies may be detected in individuals who are completely asymptomatic, but, in some patients, these antibodies may be associated with a rapidly progressive disorder that can be fatal. In addition, the blood clots that can be seen with these antibodies can be fatal, depending on how large they are or which blood vessels are affected. Back to top.

The catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome is a very rare complication encountered in a subset of patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. This rare syndrome is characterized by the development of multiple blood clots that block small blood vessels in several organs in the body. The organs most commonly affected by these small blood clots include the heart, lungs, nervous system, and kidneys.

We have asked our Medical Advisory team this question over and over again, and none of them have the answer. We will continue to search for the answer of this one! Back to top.

Women are more likely than men to be affected by Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. Some estimates say that 75% to 90% of those affected are women. For example, it has been estimated by some doctors that one third of all of young strokes (defined as under the age of 50) are due to Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. In obstetrics it is estimated by some doctors that up to 25% of all women with 2 or more spontaneous miscarriages have Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome.

There are two forms of Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. There is Primary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome meaning it is a stand alone disease. There is also Secondary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. Many of those patients also have Lupus. Back to top.

APS is not hereditary in the sense in which we usually use that word--that is, the sense that we learned about in biology classes, where the precise "odds" of a trait being passed along to children can be calculated. Diseases or conditions with that sort of direct heredity are typically tied to one or more identified genes. No cause for APS has yet been singled out.

Unfortunately it can be ? often before the true diagnosis is fully established ? one of the causes of sudden collapse is a lung clot (pulmonary embolism). Once the diagnosis is made, adequate anticoagulation should protect against a recurrence.

In theory, diagnosis is easy. The doctor simply needs to think of the possibility of Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. However, the features can seem so unconnected (e.g.memory loss, previous DVT, headaches, previous miscarriage and 'multiple sclerosis') that the diagnosis may not come to mind. Back to top.

For asymptomatic individuals who have antiphospholipid antibodies, some doctors recommend aspirin therapy, but, generally, no major lifestyle changes are necessary. For patients who have the antiphospholipid syndrome and have had a blood clot, treatment consists of anticoagulant therapy ("blood thinners"). Anticoagulant therapy with warfarin (most commonly, Coumadin? ) does require attention to one's diet (for a stable intake of vitamin K) and regular blood checks to monitor the medicine.

By definition, all patients with antiphospholipid syndrome have some type of blood clot, affecting either the arteries or the veins, or recurrent miscarriages or certain other complications during pregnancy. Other problems that may be seen in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome may include a particular type of rash (livido reticularis), low platelet counts ('thrombocytopenia'), heart valve problems, certain fingernail changes, or other signs or symptoms.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic diseases, meaning they recur throughout a person's life. The rate of recurrence is different for everyone, and some people can go years between disease relapses. Naturally, the severity of the disease varies from person to person, but most people lead active and full lives after being diagnosed. The life expectancy of those with Crohn's disease and /or colitis is normal. They are not considered terminal diseases.

In most cases no. With early detection and treatment there is a high chance of recovery. Severe cases are usually seen in patients with pre-existing health problems or who seek treatment at a late stage.

Yes. For a complete listing of the case fatality rates for previous outbreaks, please see the “History of Outbreaks” table.

There is no knowledge of anyone dying because of CFS (certainly, we have heard of a few suicides, but then one must ask: Were there pre-existing psychological problems before getting CFS and/or was the patient diagnosed properly?).

Not as such.  The premature fusion of sutures can cause life-threatening damage, but advances in surgical technique have significantly reduced the inherent dangers.  With rare exceptions, Crouzon Syndrome does not interfere with basic body processes and should not reduce one's lifespan.

The name of the long QT syndrome refers to the QT-interval measured on the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG for the German term "Elektrokardiogramm"). Your specialist may refer to long QT syndrome as Romano-Ward syndrome or Jervell, Lange-Nielsen syndrome (see point 3).

This is a very natural worry but completely unnecessary. TAM affects skeletal muscle and in the 40 years of reports and research I am not aware of a single case of cardiac muscle being affected by TAM. Of course inevitably some TAM folk have heart disease but I am not aware of any evidence that its incidence is any higher. Of course inactivity does not help but TAM folk are no orphans there. However there is one and only one report of an acute respiratory failure secondary to TAM.

Acromegaly itself is usually not fatal. The complications of acromegaly, such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes, can be life threatening. Successful treatment of acromegaly, however, will usually restore normal health.

In the 1960's, autopsies of adults with DS showed that after about age 30 years, they all have the characteristic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer disease. From that finding, it was assumed that all adults with DS would eventually get Alzheimer dementia if they lived long enough.

Lupus is not a universally fatal disease. In fact, today with close follow-up and treatment, 80-90% of the people with lupus can expect to live a normal life span. Lupus does vary in intensity and degree, however, and there are people who have a mild case, there are those who have a moderate case and there are some who have a severe case of lupus, which tends to be more difficult to treat and bring under control.

If an ALS patient opts for a ventilator, he or she can live for many years with the disease under the care of qualified nursing personnel.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an illness that causes death by debilitating the individual and increasing susceptibility to other diseases, such as pneumonia, and to injuries often caused by falls. On average, death usually occurs 8 to 10 years after the initial diagnosis of AD.

Antibodies are blood proteins important in defense e.g. against infection. Some antibodies appear to ?turn against? the body?s own tissues. Antiphospholipid antibodies appear to alter the ?phospholipid? skin that lines the blood vessels of organs.

If a normal cat lived forever, PKD cats would eventually progress to the point where renal failure occurs, and would eventually die of renal failure. However, in real life, it is believed that most PKD cats actually die from something other than renal failure due to PKD. So the practical answer to this question is no, most PKD positive cats will not die from PKD. However, as Dr. DiBartola notes in a private e-mail, in the Ohio study he and Dr.

Antibodies are proteins that are produced by a human or animal host in response to a foreign substance known as an antigen. The antibody attaches to the antigen and aids the host in removing the infectious agent.

About 70 percent of patients infected with smallpox recover. Many smallpox survivors have permanent scars over large areas of their body, especially their face. Some are left blind.

Research shows that Parkinson's is not fatal. A recent study, however, indicates that "mortality is two to five times as high among affected persons as among age-matched controls resulting in a marked reduction in life expectancy." (Lang, A.E. & Lozano, A.M. Medical progress: Parkinson's Disease; First of two parts; New England Journal of Medicine, 1998; 339:1044-1063.)