Evans syndrome, also known as antiphospholipid syndrome, is a rare autoimmune disease in which the body produces antibodies that destroy the blood.
Some patients with this disease may have only white cells destroyed or only red cells, but the entire structure of the blood can be damaged when it comes to the Evans Syndrome.
The earlier the correct diagnosis of this syndrome is made, the easier it is to control the symptoms and thus the patient has a better quality of life.
What causes
The factor that promotes this syndrome is still unknown, and both the symptoms and the evolution of this rare disease are very different from case to case, depending on the portion of the blood that is attacked by the antibodies.
Signals and symptons
When the red cells are damaged, lowering their blood levels, the patient develops the typical symptoms of anemia, in cases where they are the platelets to be destroyed, the patient becomes more susceptible to the formation of hematomas and signs that in cases of cranial trauma can cause fatal brain hemorrhages and when it is the white portion of the blood that is affected the patient becomes more susceptible to infections accompanied by greater difficulty of recovery.
It is common for the patient with Evans syndrome to present other autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, for example.
The evolution of the disease is unexpected and in many cases the episodes of great destruction of blood cells are followed by long periods of remission, while some more severe cases evolve continuously without periods of improvement of the picture.
How is the treatment done?
The treatment aims to stop the production of antibodies that destroy the blood. The treatment does not cure the disease, but it helps reduce its symptoms, such as anemia or thrombosis.
The use of steroids is recommended because they suppress the immune system and decrease the production of antibodies, interrupting or decreasing the degree of destruction of the blood cells.
Another option is the injection of immunoglobulins to destroy the excess of antibodies produced by the body or even chemotherapy, which stabilizes the patient.
In more severe cases, removal of the spleen is a form of treatment, as is blood transfusion.
