Cerebral and renal arterial thromboses in systemic lupus erythematosus with antiphospholipid antibodies: a report of two cases.

Antiphospholipid antibodies have been associated with an increased risk of thromboses, most of which occur in veins. We observed a very unusual association of cerebral and renal thromboses, in 2 patients with systemic lupus and anti-prothrombinase, in whom arterial occlusions were clearly documented. Immunosuppressive treatment was followed by a dramatic improvement in both. In the literature, no treatment clearly prevents the recurrence of these thromboses. This could be partly explained by our current ignorance of their pathogeny.