This complex syndrome actually is described as primary (not associated with another illness) and secondary (asso¬ciated with SLE or another rheumatic disease). The anti-phospholipid antibody (APLA) is detected in more than one-third of patients with lupus.
This syndrome is defined as the presence of either APLA or a lupus anticoagulant accompanied by this list of clinical manifestations:

1. Recurrent thrombosis of veins or arteries that are unexplained, that is, the usual causes of thrombosis such as immobilization or postsurgical are lacking
2. Frequent second- or third-trimester miscarriages
3. Thrombocytopenia and livedo reticularis commonly occur; patients with SLE commonly show positive blood serology for APLA, but the majority of these patients do not show clinical manifestations of the syndrome Heart valves may become involved with thrombotic masses that may embolize and cause stroke Ulcers of the lower legs around the ankle may resemble ulcers caused by obstruction to the venous system and stasis ulcers, but ulcers caused by this syndrome are exquisitely painful and may resemble pyoderma gang-renosum