Four-year follow-up of two patients on maintenance therapy with fondaparinux and mycophenolate mofetil for microthrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

Objectives We discuss two patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) who presented with critical ischemia of both lower extremities due to arterial microthrombi. They received multimodality therapy emergently: anticoagulation, immunosuppression, and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). Then they were maintained on anticoagulation with fondaparinux and immunosuppression with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and were followed for 4 years. Methods Two patients with APS with ischemia and necrosis of their distal lower extremities were treated emergently with anticoagulation (intravenous heparin), immunosuppression (prednisone), and TPE. They were maintained on anticoagulation with fondaparinux and immunosuppression with MMF. Results Neither patient had recurrent microthrombotic disease during a 4-year follow-up. Conclusions As described in our small cohort, patients with APS who suffer from microthrombotic arterial disease may benefit from maintenance therapy of anticoagulation with fondaparinux and immunosuppression with MMF, an approach which may be worthy of further trial. Fondaparinux does not require attention to diet, monitoring, and cumbersome bridging that is typical of warfarin therapy. MMF provides immunosuppression while sparing the side effects of steroid treatment.