[Intraalveolar hemorrhage as a cause of acute respiratory failure in catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome].

We report the case of a catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS), which developed without a known cause in a 38-year old man. Primary antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed one year earlier. Clinical manifestations of CAPS were dominated by diffuse intraalveolar haemorrhage leading to acute respiratory failure and renal failure. Syndrome of multiorgan failure developed despite the treatment with plasmapheresis, high doses of glycocorticosteroids, an intravenous gammaglobulins. The patient died 6 weeks after the admission.