Does antiphospholipid antibody syndrome affect bioprosthetic heart valve?

Cardiovascular involvements in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome have been recognized as a major complication of this disease. Furthermore, some papers report bioprosthetic heart valve also seems to be affected. A 32-year-old female with aortic regurgitation presented to our hospital. Further examination revealed high titer of anticardiolipin beta 2 glycoprotein 1 antibody, and she was diagnosed as having primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome since the patient failed to match the criteria of systemic lupus erythematosus. Cardiopulmonary bypass was uneventfully conducted under systemic heparinization of usual dosage. Administration of warfarin sodium was started on the third postoperative day, and international normalized ratio was controlled from 2.0 to 2.5. On echocardiographic examination at 1 month, mean systolic gradient was 17 mmHg. Although transesophageal echocardiography at 2 years after surgery revealed no sign of valvular destruction or sclerosis, transaortic gradient had increased to 26 mmHg. Bioprosthetic stenosis was suspected probably due to pannus formation and the patient may have to undergo another valve replacement in the near future.