Long-Term Outcome of Children and Adolescents With Anti-Phospholipid Antibodies

Aim:

• Determine the incidence, and time frame, for aquiring aPL in a cohort of aPL-negative pediatric SLE subjects.
• Determine the incidence, and time frame, for developing a first APS-associated complication among SLE subjects with detectable aPL.
• Determine the incidence, and time frame, for developing a second APS-associated event among subjects with a history of an APS-associated event.
• Determine the incidence, and time frame, for developing SLE among subjects with a history of an APS-associated event in the absence of SLE.
• Identify laboratory and clinical predictors for the events described in aims 1-4.Research Design and Methods:

This is a prospective cohort study to determine the risk of developing aPL or APS-related symptoms in a young group of SLE and APS subjects. Patients will be followed over a ten year period and will undergo annual serologic and clinical evaluations to identify disease progression.

Inclusion criteria

Age: Less than 21 years at baseline exam

• Diagnosis: patients must meet criteria for one of five diagnostic categories based on classification according to three parameters; aPL positivity, APS criteria, and SLE criteria.

The five diagnostic categories are:

• SLE with no aPL
• SLE with aPL, but without manifestations of APS
• SLE-like APS
• SLE with APS
• Primary APS.

Exclusion criteria

• none