Coronary artery vasculitis and myocardial infarction associated with antiphospholipid antibodies in a pregnant woman.

A 28-year-old, 16 week primigravida presented with an acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction and a past history of recurrent venous thromboembolism and primary infertility. Although she lacked other clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus, she had a circulating 'lupus' anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies, a weakly positive anti-nuclear antibody and thrombocytopenia. She died suddenly despite corticosteroid therapy and autopsy revealed coronary arteritis and thrombosis.