Buerger's disease and anticardiolipin antibodies

Abstract

Thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger's disease is an occlusive, inflammatory, nonatherosclerotic vascular disease of unknown etiology, which affects mainly the small and medium arteries, veins and nerves. Anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with arterial and venous thrombosis, repetitive miscarriages and thrombocytopenia. The aim of this study is to bring to attention the diagnosis of Buerger's disease when found in conjunction with anticardiolipin antibodies. Three clinical cases that satisfy Shionoya's criteria for Buerger's disease (except the lack of smoking in one of the cases) are documented in this work. The following examinations were performed: hemogram, creatinine, glycemia, cholesterol, anticardiolipin antibodies, echocardiogram and angiogram. Shionoya's criteria for Buerger's disease were compatible with the two diseases: anticardiolipin antibody syndrome and Buerger's disease, both of which can occur in isolation or associated, thereby complicating the diagnosis. It is concluded that anticardiolipin can be associated with Buerger's disease and may worsen the thrombotic event of the disease but the two entities are separate. The diagnosis is not complicated.