Ask An Expert: Sneddon's Syndrome

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Ask An Expert: Sneddon's Syndrome

Question:

Both of my sisters have had strokes and have been diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome. Have there been any new treatments for or discoveries about this condition?

Answer:

Sneddon's syndrome is a rare condition characterized by two key features:

Livedo reticularis – A lacy, mottled appearance to the skin thought to be due to prominent blood vessels just below the skin surface
Cerebrovascular abnormalities, especially stroke

It is named for the British dermatologist, I.B. Sneddon, who published a medical article about it in 1965.

A number of other conditions may accompany Sneddon's Syndrome, including migraine headaches, Raynaud's phenomenon (white, blue and then red color changes in the fingers or toes triggered by cold), heart disease, hypertension, and poor blood flow to the extremities (peripheral vascular disease).

This syndrome occasionally runs in families and may be associated with autoimmune diseases (such as lupus) or with antibodies associated with a tendency to form blood clots. The cause is unknown, but some experts believe Sneddon's Syndrome develops due to thickening and, possibly, inflammation of the lining of arteries throughout the body. There is also uncertainty about whether it represents a single disease or whether it may be a manifestation of several different conditions.

Treatment generally includes blood thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin, and treatment of any associated disease, when present.

Very few articles regarding this condition have been published in recent years; unfortunately, I could find none that provide new insights into the condition's cause or how it should be treated.

Robert Shmerling, M.D., is associate physician and clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and has been a practicing rheumatologist for over 25 years.

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Last updated:	January 24, 2007

Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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