Abstract
Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune reaction in which the immune system produces antibodies to specific phospholipids that are found in normal cells. Three specific antiphospholipid autoantibodies (APLs) characterize the antiphospholipid syndrome. The three diagnostic biomarkers of APS are the lupus anticoagulant (LA), the anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), and the anti-b2-glycoprotein-1 antibodies (B2GP1). The diagnostic criteria for APS require the presence of clinical thrombotic manifestations as well as the continued presence of antiphospholipid antibodies over at least a 12-week period. The prolonged period of observation required for diagnosis is an impediment to the recognition of APS and explains its subsequent low incidence of diagnosis in the inpatient setting. We hypothesize that undiagnosed post-COVID and/or post-COVID vaccine APS could be a factor in the rise in acute heart conditions and sudden unexplained deaths in otherwise healthy individuals, as well as other adverse health events. Therefore, we argue that clinicians must be more aware of APS and that clinical events that are temporally linked to or subsequent to either COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine exposures should be assessed for evidence of APS.