Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that can lead to thrombotic or obstetric complications. Recent histopathological studies have shown the absence of placental thrombosis, leading to the consideration of other pathophysiological pathways such as inflammation and complement activation. Due to this, various clinical studies are being carried out with different drug agents in order to avoid their complications. The combination of prophylactic heparin treatment and low doses of aspirin today result in successful pregnancies in most cases. Despite this, a minority of patients require alternative therapies to avoid recurrent miscarriage and decrease obstetric morbidity. Thanks to the better understanding of its pathophysiology, other treatments such as low doses of glucocorticoids, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), immunoglobulin, pravastatin, and plasmapheresis have been considered in refractory cases, achieving favorable results. Despite the great advances regarding its treatment, unfortunately, there are no treatments with a good level of evidence to reduce late obstetric complications. The evaluation of preconception risk factors, as well as the antiphospholipid antibody profile, is necessary to establish individual risk and thus anticipate possible complications.

Objective. Th e type and level of sex steroids infl uence blood pressure (BP). It has been suggested that functional brain asymmetries may be infl uenced by sex hormones. In addition, there are inter-arm diff erences in BP not yet related with handedness. In this study, we hypothesize a possible association between sex hormones, handedness, and inter-arm diff erences in blood pressure.Methods. To analyze this hypothesis, we measured BP in the left and right arm of the left and right handed adult young men and women in menstrual and ovulatory phase and calculated their mean arterial pressure (MAP).Results. Signifi cant diff erences depending on sex, arm, handedness or phase of the cycle were observed. MAP was mostly higher in men than in women. Remarkably, in women, the highest levels were observed in the left handed in menstrual phase. Interestingly, the level of handedness correlated negatively with MAP measured in the left arm of right-handed women in the ovulatory phase but positively with the MAP measured in the right arm of right-handed women in the menstrual phase.Conclusions. Th ese results may refl ect an asymmetrical modulatory infl uence of sex hormones in BP control.