The European Registry on Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome (EUROAPS): A preliminary first year report

Background: Obstetric morbidity (OM) is a common feature of antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS). Women having OAPS-only and women with OM related to antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) but not fulfilling APS classification criteria (OMAPS), may show similar patterns. Aim: The aim of this research was to collect records of OAPS and OMAPS cases in order to have valuable information about their clinical features, laboratory, treatment, pregnancy outcomes and long-term follow-up. Methods: EUROAPS/EUROMAPS is a registry in the frame of the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibody projects. Its own website has been available since June 2010: www.euroaps.org. Results: This registry comprises 211 women including 304 pre-enrolment pregnancies, and 226 prospective cases, 194 of OAPS and 32 of OMAPS. OM was more frequent in OAPS than in OMAPS, independent of treatment. In the prospective cohort, standard aPL data was available in 202 cases and treatment data in all 226 cases. Good fetal outcomes were obtained when low dose aspirin plus low molecular weight heparin were administered. Prevalence of thrombotic events and/or cases evolving into full-blown systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was low. Conclusions: OAPS could be a different form of APS. OMAPS/OMAPS fetal outcomes were better when treated. The prevalence of thrombosis and progression to SLE were lower than in 'classical' APS. Lupus (2012) 21, 766-768.