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Capillary leak syndrome, or vascular leak syndrome, is characterized by the escape of
blood plasma Blood plasma is a light Amber (color), amber-colored liquid component of blood in which blood cells are absent, but which contains Blood protein, proteins and other constituents of whole blood in Suspension (chemistry), suspension. It makes up ...
through capillary walls, from the blood
circulatory system In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart ...
to surrounding tissues, muscle compartments, organs or body cavities. It is a phenomenon most commonly witnessed in
sepsis Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. Common signs and s ...
, and less frequently in
autoimmune diseases An autoimmune disease is a condition that results from an anomalous response of the adaptive immune system, wherein it mistakenly targets and attacks healthy, functioning parts of the body as if they were foreign organisms. It is estimated that ...
, differentiation syndrome
engraftment syndrome
hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis In hematology, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), also known as haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis ( British spelling), and hemophagocytic or haemophagocytic syndrome, is an uncommon hematologic disorder seen more often in children than ...
, the
ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a medical condition that can occur in some women who take fertility medication to stimulate egg growth, and in other women in sporadic cases. Most cases are mild, but rarely the condition is severe and c ...
,
viral hemorrhagic fevers Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a diverse group of diseases. "Viral" means a health problem caused by infection from a virus, " hemorrhagic" means to bleed, and "fever" means an unusually high body temperature. Bleeding and fever are comm ...
, and
snakebite A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may ...
and
ricin Ricin ( ) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, ''Ricinus communis''. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body ...
poisoning. Pharmaceuticals, including the chemotherapy medications
gemcitabine Gemcitabine, sold under the brand name Gemzar, among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat cancers. It is used to treat testicular cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bladder ca ...
and
denileukin diftitox Denileukin diftitox, sold under the brand name Ontak among others, is an anti-cancer medication used for the treatment of adults with T-cell lymphoma. It is an IL2-receptor-directed cytotoxin. It is an engineered protein combining interleukin-2 ...
, as well as certain
interleukins Interleukins (ILs) are a group of cytokines (secreted proteins and signal molecules) that are expressed and secreted by white blood cells (leukocytes) as well as some other body cells. The human genome encodes more than 50 interleukins and related ...
and
monoclonal antibodies A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a Lineage (evolution), cell lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell. Mon ...
, can also cause capillary leaks. These conditions and factors are sources of secondary capillary leak syndrome, and it is often difficult to diagnose and treat because of its complex
pathophysiology Pathophysiology (or physiopathology) is a branch of study, at the intersection of pathology and physiology, concerning disordered physiological processes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with a disease or injury. Pathology is ...
and the absence of standardized diagnostic criteria. Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS), also called Clarkson's disease, or primary capillary leak syndrome, is a rare, grave and episodic medical condition observed largely in otherwise healthy individuals mostly in middle age. It is characterized by self-reversing episodes during which the
endothelial cells The endothelium (: endothelia) is a single layer of squamous endothelial cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The endothelium forms an interface between circulating blood or lymph in the lumen and the res ...
which line the capillaries, usually of the extremities, separate for one to three days, causing a leakage of plasma mainly into the muscle compartments of the arms and legs. The abdomen, the central nervous system, and the organs (including the lungs) are typically spared, but the
extravasation Extravasation is the leakage of a fluid out of its contained space into the surrounding area, especially blood or blood cells from vessels. In the case of inflammation, it refers to the movement of white blood cells through the capillary wall, ...
in the extremities is sufficiently massive to cause circulatory shock and compartment syndromes, with a dangerous
hypotension Hypotension, also known as low blood pressure, is a cardiovascular condition characterized by abnormally reduced blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood and is ...
(low blood pressure),
hemoconcentration The hematocrit () (Ht or HCT), also known by several other names, is the volume percentage (vol%) of red blood cells (RBCs) in blood, measured as part of a blood test. The measurement depends on the number and size of red blood cells. It is nor ...
(thickening of the blood) and
hypoalbuminemia Hypoalbuminemia (or hypoalbuminaemia) is a medical sign in which the concentration, level of human serum albumin, albumin in the blood is low. This can be due to decreased production in the liver, increased loss in the gastrointestinal tract or ki ...
(drop in
albumin Albumin is a family of globular proteins, the most common of which are the serum albumins. All of the proteins of the albumin family are water- soluble, moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Alb ...
, a major protein) in the absence of other causes for such abnormalities. SCLS is thus a limb- and life-threatening illness, because each episode has the potential to cause damage to limb muscles and nerves, as well as to vital organs due to limited
perfusion Perfusion is the passage of fluid through the circulatory system or lymphatic system to an organ (anatomy), organ or a tissue (biology), tissue, usually referring to the delivery of blood to a capillary bed in tissue. Perfusion may also refer t ...
. It is often misdiagnosed as
polycythemia Polycythemia (also known as polycythaemia) is a laboratory finding in which the hematocrit (the volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood) and/or hemoglobin concentration are increased in the blood. Polycythemia is sometimes called erythr ...
,
polycythemia vera In oncology, polycythemia vera (PV) is an uncommon myeloproliferative neoplasm in which the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells. Approximately 98% of PV patients have a JAK2 gene mutation in their blood-forming cells (compared with 0.1-0 ...
, hyperviscosity syndrome, or
sepsis Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. Common signs and s ...
. A thorough scientific primer on SCLS was published in late 2024.


Symptoms

Most SCLS patients succumb to viral infections manifesting themselves by way of flu-like symptoms (like a runny nose), gastro-intestinal disorders (diarrhea or vomiting), or general weakness or pain in the limbs, but others get no particular or consistent warning signs ahead of their episodes. They subsequently develop thirst and lightheadedness and the following conditions measurable in a hospital emergency-room setting: *
hemoconcentration The hematocrit () (Ht or HCT), also known by several other names, is the volume percentage (vol%) of red blood cells (RBCs) in blood, measured as part of a blood test. The measurement depends on the number and size of red blood cells. It is nor ...
(elevated
hematocrit The hematocrit () (Ht or HCT), also known by several other names, is the volume percentage (vol%) of red blood cells (RBCs) in blood, measured as part of a blood test. The measurement depends on the number and size of red blood cells. It is nor ...
and
hemoglobin Hemoglobin (haemoglobin, Hb or Hgb) is a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells. Almost all vertebrates contain hemoglobin, with the sole exception of the fish family Channichthyidae. Hemoglobin ...
readings, with hematocrit levels >49% in men and >43% in women, not because of an absolute increase in them but because of the leak of plasma); * very low blood pressure (profound arterial
hypotension Hypotension, also known as low blood pressure, is a cardiovascular condition characterized by abnormally reduced blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood and is ...
, with systolic blood pressure levels <90 mm Hg); * albumin deficiency (
hypoalbuminemia Hypoalbuminemia (or hypoalbuminaemia) is a medical sign in which the concentration, level of human serum albumin, albumin in the blood is low. This can be due to decreased production in the liver, increased loss in the gastrointestinal tract or ki ...
measuring <3.0 g/dL); * partial or generalized
edema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. S ...
, and cold extremities; * a
paraprotein A myeloma protein is an abnormal antibody (immunoglobulin) or (more often) a fragment thereof, such as an immunoglobulin light chain, that is produced in excess by an abnormal monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells, typically in multiple mye ...
in the blood (an MGUS in approximately 80% of cases).


Cause

Although the precise molecular cause of SCLS remains undetermined, scientific research since 2010, conducted mainly at a unit ( NIAID) of the U.S.
National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Service ...
, has shed some light on its biological and chemical roots. The study of the peripheral
microvasculature The microcirculation is the circulation of the blood in the smallest blood vessels, the microvessels of the microvasculature present within organ tissues. The microvessels include terminal arterioles, metarterioles, capillaries, and venules. A ...
from patients’
biopsy A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, an interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiology, interventional cardiologist. The process involves the extraction of sampling (medicine), sample ...
specimens has not evidenced gross anomalies, disrupted
angiogenesis Angiogenesis is the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels, formed in the earlier stage of vasculogenesis. Angiogenesis continues the growth of the vasculature mainly by processes of sprouting and ...
, or inflammatory cells or other factors suggestive of a disorder prone to damage the blood vessels by inflammation. The absence of structural abnormalities is thus consistent with the hypothesis of some kind of defective but curiously reversible cellular phenomenon in the capillaries. Studies suggest that the presence of various inflammatory factors during episodes of SCLS may explain the temporarily abnormal permeability of the endothelial cells lining the inner surface of the capillaries. These include transient spikes in
monocyte Monocytes are a type of leukocyte or white blood cell. They are the largest type of leukocyte in blood and can differentiate into macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. As a part of the vertebrate innate immune system monocytes also ...
- and
macrophage Macrophages (; abbreviated MPhi, φ, MΦ or MP) are a type of white blood cell of the innate immune system that engulf and digest pathogens, such as cancer cells, microbes, cellular debris and foreign substances, which do not have proteins that ...
-associated inflammatory mediators and temporary increases in the proteins vascular endothelial growth factors (
VEGF Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, ), originally known as vascular permeability factor (VPF), is a signal protein produced by many cells that stimulates the formation of blood vessels. To be specific, VEGF is a sub-family of growth factors ...
) and
angiopoietin-2 Angiopoietin is part of a family of vascular growth factors that play a role in embryonic and postnatal angiogenesis. Angiopoietin signaling most directly corresponds with angiogenesis, the process by which new arteries and veins form from pree ...
. The impairment of endothelial cells in laboratory conditions provoked by serum taken from patients who were having episodes of SCLS is also suggestive of biochemical factors at work. There is no evidence that SCLS is hereditary, and the role of specific gene defects in patients with SCLS, which might program their endothelial cells for an overreaction to external stimuli such as viral infections, has not been established. The significance, if any, of the paraprotein (MGUS) present in most patients with SCLS is unknown, other than it has been a precursor to
multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibody, antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone ...
in a minority (7% in the largest reported
cohort Cohort or cohortes may refer to: Cohort Sociological * Cohort (military unit), the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion * Cohort (educational group), a group of students working together through the same academic curriculum Scientific * Cohort ...
) of SCLS patients.


Diagnosis

SCLS is often difficult to recognize and diagnose on initial presentation, and thus misdiagnoses are frequent. The characteristic triad of profound arterial hypotension, hemoconcentration (elevated hematocrit,
leukocytosis Leukocytosis is a condition in which the white cell (leukocyte) count is above the normal range in the blood. It is frequently a sign of an inflammatory response, most commonly the result of infection, but may also occur following certain parasit ...
, and
thrombocytosis In hematology, thrombocythemia is a condition of high platelet (thrombocyte) count in the blood. Normal count is in the range of 150 to 450 platelets per liter of blood, but investigation is typically only considered if the upper limit exceeds 7 ...
), and hypoalbuminemia in the absence of secondary causes of shock and infection, requires diagnosis in a monitored hospital setting during or after an acute episode. The fact that the condition is exceedingly rare – an estimated one per million inhabitants – and that several other diseases exhibit features akin to SCLS, including secondary capillary-leak syndrome or hypoproteinemia, militate against early identification. Preserved consciousness, despite severe shock and hypotension, is an additional and most intriguing clinical manifestation often reported during episodes at hospital admission.


Treatment

The natural history of SCLS episodes indicates they usually resolve spontaneously within 2-to-4 days, and that they consist of two distinct phases:


The capillary leak phase

The initial stage is the capillary leak phase, lasting from 1 to 3 days, during which up to 70% of total plasma volume invades body cavities, especially in the extremities. The most common clinical features are flu-like symptoms such as fatigue; runny nose; lightheadedness up to and including syncope (fainting); limb, abdominal or generalized pain; facial or other
edema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. S ...
;
dyspnea Shortness of breath (SOB), known as dyspnea (in AmE) or dyspnoea (in BrE), is an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as "a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that ...
; and hypotension that results in
circulatory shock Shock is the state of insufficient blood flow to the tissues of the body as a result of problems with the circulatory system. Initial symptoms of shock may include weakness, tachycardia, hyperventilation, sweating, anxiety, and increased thirst. ...
and potentially in cardiopulmonary collapse and other organ distress or damage.
Acute kidney injury Acute kidney injury (AKI), previously called acute renal failure (ARF), is a sudden decrease in renal function, kidney function that develops within seven days, as shown by an increase in serum creatinine or a decrease in urine output, or both. ...
or
failure Failure is the social concept of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and is usually viewed as the opposite of success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. On ...
is a common risk due to
acute tubular necrosis Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is a medical condition involving the death of tubular epithelial cells that form the renal tubules of the kidneys. Because necrosis is often not present, the term acute tubular injury (ATI) is preferred by pathologis ...
consequent to
hypovolemia Hypovolemia, also known as volume depletion or volume contraction, is a state of abnormally low extracellular fluid in the body. This may be due to either a loss of both salt and water or a decrease in blood volume. Hypovolemia refers to the loss ...
and
rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis (shortened as rhabdo) is a condition in which damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly. Symptoms may include muscle pains, weakness, vomiting, and confusion. There may be tea-colored urine or an irregular heartbeat. Some o ...
. The escape of fluid out of the capillaries has similar effects on the circulation as
dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water that disrupts metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds intake, often resulting from excessive sweating, health conditions, or inadequate consumption of water. Mild deh ...
, slowing both the flow of oxygen delivered to tissues and organs as well as the output of
urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder and exits the urethra through the penile meatus (mal ...
, causing
oliguria Oliguria or hypouresis is the low output of urine specifically more than 80 ml/day but less than 400ml/day. The decreased output of urine may be a sign of dehydration, kidney failure, hypovolemic shock, hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndro ...
. Urgent medical attention in this phase often features fluid resuscitation efforts, mainly the intravenous administration of
saline solution Saline (also known as saline solution) is a mixture of sodium chloride (salt) and water. It has a number of uses in medicine including cleaning wounds, removal and storage of contact lenses, and help with dry eyes. By injection into a vein, i ...
plus hetastarch or
albumin Albumin is a family of globular proteins, the most common of which are the serum albumins. All of the proteins of the albumin family are water- soluble, moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Alb ...
and
colloids A colloid is a mixture in which one substance consisting of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles is suspended throughout another substance. Some definitions specify that the particles must be dispersed in a liquid, while others exten ...
(to increase the remaining blood flow to vital organs like the kidneys), as well as glucocorticoids (steroids like
methylprednisolone Methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol, Medrol, Solu-Medrol) is a synthetic glucocorticoid, primarily prescribed for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. It is either used at low doses for chronic illnesses or used at high doses durin ...
, to reduce or stop the capillary leak). However, the impact of such fluid therapy is always transient and leads to increased extravascular fluid accumulation, engendering multiple complications especially compartment syndrome and thus limb-destructive rhabdomyolysis. Consequently, fluid resuscitation should be minimized as much as possible in patients experiencing episodes of SCLS, and they should be closely monitored in a hospital intensive-care setting including for orthopedic complications requiring surgical decompression. Clinical experience since 2015 suggests that administration of
immunoglobulins An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as bacteria and viruses, including those that cause di ...
(IVIG) with minimal additional intravenous fluids, close to the start of an episode of SCLS, is a safe way to support patients during their leak phase and is associated with rapid clinical improvement.


The recruitment phase

The second stage features the reabsorption of the initially extravasated fluid and albumin from the tissues, and it usually lasts 1 to 2 days. Intravascular fluid overload leads to
polyuria Polyuria () is excessive or an abnormally large production or Frequent urination, passage of urine (greater than 2.5 L or 3 L over 24 hours in adults). Increased production and passage of urine may also be termed as diuresis. Polyuria often appe ...
and can cause flash
pulmonary edema Pulmonary edema (British English: oedema), also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive fluid accumulation in the tissue or air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. This leads to impaired gas exchange, most often leading to shortness ...
and
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...
, with possibly fatal consequences. Death from SCLS typically occurs during this recruitment phase because of pulmonary edema arising from excessive intravenous fluid administration during the earlier leak phase. The severity of the problem depends on the quantity of fluid supplied in the initial phase, the damage that may have been sustained by the kidneys, and the promptness with which
diuretics A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics in ...
are administered to help the patient discharge the accumulated fluids quickly. A study published in 2017 of 59 acute episodes occurring in 37 hospitalized SCLS patients concluded that high-volume fluid therapy was independently associated with poorer clinical outcomes, and that the main complications of SCLS episodes were recovery-phase pulmonary edema (24%),
cardiac arrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, are irregularities in the heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. Essentially, this is anything but normal sinus rhythm. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beat ...
(24%), compartment syndrome (20%), and acquired infections (19%). The prevention of episodes of SCLS has involved two approaches. The earliest was advocated by the Mayo Clinic, and it recommended treatment with high doses of
beta agonists Beta adrenergic agonists or beta agonists are medications that relax muscles of the airways, causing widening of the airways and resulting in easier breathing. They are a class of sympathomimetic agents, each acting upon the beta adrenoceptors ...
such as
terbutaline Terbutaline, sold under the brand names Bricanyl and Marex among others, is a β2 adrenergic receptor agonist, used as a "reliever" inhaler in the management of asthma symptoms and as a tocolytic (anti- contraction medication) to delay preterm ...
,
phosphodiesterase A phosphodiesterase (PDE) is an enzyme that breaks a phosphodiester bond. Usually, ''phosphodiesterase'' refers to cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, which have great clinical significance and are described below. However, there are many oth ...
-
inhibitor Inhibitor or inhibition may refer to: Biology * Enzyme inhibitor, a substance that binds to an enzyme and decreases the enzyme's activity * Reuptake inhibitor, a substance that increases neurotransmission by blocking the reuptake of a neurotransmi ...
theophylline Theophylline, also known as 1,3-dimethylxanthine, is a drug that inhibits phosphodiesterase and blocks adenosine receptors. It is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Its pharmacology is similar to other met ...
, and
leukotriene Leukotrienes are a family of eicosanoid inflammation, inflammatory mediators produced in leukocytes by the redox, oxidation of arachidonic acid (AA) and the essential fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) by the enzyme arachidonate 5-lipoxyg ...
-
receptor Receptor may refer to: * Sensory receptor, in physiology, any neurite structure that, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse *Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and respond ...
antagonists An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.montelukast sodium. The rationale for use of these drugs was their ability to increase intracellular
cyclic AMP Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP, cyclic AMP, or 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) is a second messenger, or cellular signal occurring within cells, that is important in many biological processes. cAMP is a derivative of adenosine triph ...
(adenosine monophosphate) levels, which might counteract inflammatory signaling pathways that induce endothelial permeability. It was the standard of care until the early 2000s, but was sidelined afterwards because patients frequently experienced renewed episodes of SCLS, and because these drugs were poorly tolerated due to their unpleasant side effects. The second approach, pioneered in France during the early 2000s, involves monthly intravenous infusions of immunoglobulins (IVIG), with an initial dose of 1-2 gr/kg/month of body weight, which has proven very successful as per abundant case-report evidence from around the world. IVIG has long been used for the treatment of autoimmune and MGUS-associated syndromes, because of its potential
immunomodulatory Immunotherapy or biological therapy is the treatment of disease by activating or suppressing the immune system. Immunotherapies designed to elicit or amplify an immune response are classified as ''activation immunotherapies,'' while immunothera ...
and anticytokine properties. The precise mechanism of action of IVIG in patients with SCLS is unknown, but it is likely that it neutralizes their
proinflammatory cytokine An inflammatory cytokine or proinflammatory cytokine is a type of signaling molecule (a cytokine) that is secreted from immune cells like helper T cells (Th) and macrophages, and certain other cell types that promote inflammation. They include int ...
s that provoke endothelial dysfunction. A review of clinical experience with 69 mostly European SCLS patients found that preventive treatment with IVIG was the strongest factor associated with their survival, such that an IVIG therapy should be the first-line preventive agent for SCLS patients. According to an NIH survey of patient experience, IVIG prophylaxis is associated with a dramatic reduction in the occurrence of SCLS episodes in most patients, with minimal side effects, so it may be considered as frontline therapy for those with a clear-cut diagnosis of SCLS and a history of recurrent episodes. A study published in 2022, to evaluate the safety of IVIG tapering and withdrawal in 59 French and Italian patients with SCLS, concluded that the incidence of severe flares was not statistically different across the different dosages of IVIG, but that withdrawal was associated with increased mortality and higher rates of recurrence, such that lifelong treatment with IVIG is recommended for patients with SCLS.


Prognosis

In mostly European experience with 69 patients during 1996–2016, the 5- and 10-year
survival rates Survival rate is a part of survival analysis. It is the proportion of people in a study or treatment group still alive at a given period of time after diagnosis. It is a method of describing prognosis in certain disease conditions, and can be use ...
for SCLS patients were 78% and 69%, respectively, but the survivors received significantly more frequent preventive treatment with IVIG than did non-survivors. Five- and 10-year survival rates in patients treated with IVIG were 91% and 77%, respectively, compared to 47% and 37% in patients not treated with IVIG. Moreover, better identification and management of this condition since 2016 appears to be resulting in lower mortality and improving survival and quality-of-life results.


History

The
syndrome A syndrome is a set of medical signs and symptoms which are correlated with each other and often associated with a particular disease or disorder. The word derives from the Greek language, Greek σύνδρομον, meaning "concurrence". When a sy ...
was first described by a team of New York City physicians led by Dr. Bayard D. Clarkson in 1960, after whom it was later informally named. Beyond numerous case reports published since then, three comprehensive reviews of clinical and research experience were published in 2017, and a complete disease primer appeared in late 2024.


References


External links

Additional links:
RareShare Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome Community

Cleveland Clinic
* {{Vascular diseases Rare syndromes Urticaria and angioedema