Catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (CAPS) resembles severe sepsis in its acute presentation, with features of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) leading to multiple organ dysfunction. Infections are the best known triggers of CAPS. This emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and aggressive treatment as the mortality is as high as 50%. We present a 42-year-old woman who developed SIRS postoperatively and was eventually diagnosed as CAPS.
Keywords: Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome; sepsis; systemic lupus erythematosus.