Abstract
In many children, the pathogenesis of thrombo-embolism remains unexplained. This study examines the role of non-genetic risk factors in 37 children with venous or arterial thrombosis. Included were 17 patients with portal vein thrombosis following umbilical vein catheterisation, 6 with portal vein thrombosis and an uneventful neonatal period, 4 with deep vein␣thrombosis, 4 with renal vein thrombosis after kidney transplantation, 1 haemodialysis patient with thromboses of arteriovenous shunts, and 5 with arterial thromboses at various sites. In 25 of these 37 patients (68%) exogenic risk factors and particularly vascular manipulations (24/37) were related to the thrombotic event. Resistance to activated protein C was identified in 5 patients and protein C deficiency in 2 (7/37; 19%). This prevalence was significantly higher than that of the control group (14/243; 5.8%; χ2, P < 0.008).
Conclusion Our data show that non-genetic and particular iatrogenic risk factors can often be identified in children with thrombosis, but activated protein C resistance and protein C deficiency are significant genetic risk factors in this age group.
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Received: 23 April 1996 / Accepted: 1 August 1996
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Uttenreuther-Fischer, M., Vetter, B., Hellmann, C. et al. Paediatric thrombo-embolism: the influence of non-genetic factors and the role of activated protein C resistance and protein C deficiency. Eur J Pediatr 156, 277–281 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310050600
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310050600