Seizures in Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome: The Relevance of Smoking to Stroke

Abstract

Objectives. To evaluate the frequency of seizures in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and their possible clinical and laboratory associations.Methods. Eighty-eight PAPS patients (Sydney’s criteria) were analyzed by a standard interview, physical examination and review of medical charts. Risk factors for seizures, clinical manifestations, associated comorbidities, and antiphospholipid antibodies were evaluated.Results. Nine (10.2%) patients with seizures were identified, 77.8% had convulsions onset after PAPS diagnosis. Mean age, gender, and race were comparable in groups with or without seizures. Interestingly, a higher frequency of current smoking (44.4 versus 10.1%, ) was observed in the first group. Stroke, Sneddon’s syndrome, and livedo reticularis were more frequent in PAPS patients with seizures than those without seizures, although not statistically significant (). Comparison between patients with seizures onset after PAPS diagnosis () and those without convulsions () demonstrated a higher frequency of current smoking (42.9 versus 10%, ) and stroke in the first group (71.4 versus 30.4%, ). Regression analysis confirmed that smoking () and stroke () were independently associated to seizures.Conclusion. About 10.2% of PAPS patients had convulsions, predominantly after PAPS diagnosis, and seizures were associated to current smoking and stroke.