Evans syndrome, also known as anti-phospholipid syndrome, is a rare autoimmune disease, in which the body produces antibodies that destroy blood.
Some patients with this disease may have only white cells destroyed or only red cells, but the entire blood structure can be damaged when it comes to Evans Syndrome.
The sooner the correct diagnosis of this syndrome is made, the easier the symptoms are controlled and thus the patient has a better quality of life.
What causes
The factor that promotes this syndrome is still unknown, and 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 the cases in which the platelets are to be destroyed, the patient is more susceptible to the formation of bruises and bleeding than in the cases of head trauma can cause fatal brain hemorrhages and when it is the white portion of the blood that is affected the patient is more susceptible to infections accompanied by greater difficulty in recovery.
It is common for patients with Evans syndrome to have other autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, for example.
The evolution of the disease is unexpected and in many cases 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.
How the treatment is done
The treatment aims to stop the production of antibodies that destroy the blood. Treatment does not cure the disease, but it does help to reduce its symptoms, such as anemia or thrombosis.
The use of steroids is recommended as they suppress the immune system and decrease the production of antibodies, interrupting or decreasing the degree of destruction of blood cells.
Another option is the injection of immunoglobulins to destroy excess antibodies produced by the body or even chemotherapy, which stabilizes the patient.
In the most severe cases, removal of the spleen is a form of treatment, as is blood transfusion.
