Insights into atherosclerosis therapy in antiphospholipid syndrome

The presence of early atheroma in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) underscores the necessity of new therapies for this disorder. Inflammation plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of both APS secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus and atheroma. Several drugs currently used in APS have also anti-atherogenic properties via their anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, in addition to screening and treatment of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, it has been suggested that the introduction of some new medication such as statins in APS patients could be useful. This review assesses the current knowledge in this field and the justification for this new therapeutical approach. Furthermore, these data underscore the necessity for the use of other medication for atherosclerosis in APS patients, such as immunomodulatory drugs, which would be complementary to the anti-thrombotic and anti-platelet therapy. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.