Summary
A difference in the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (TE) in major human groups
has been described and an uneven distribution of FV Leiden mutation over the world
has recently been reported.
We investigated FV Leiden mutation in 584 apparently healthy sub#jects mostly from
populations different from those previously investi#gated: 170 Europeans (Spanish,
Italians), 101 sub-saharan Africans (Fon, Bariba, Berba, Dendi), 115 Asians (Indonesians,
Chinese, Tharus), 57 Amerindians (Cayapa), 84 Afroamericans (Rio Cayapa, Viche), and
57 Ethiopians (Amhara, Oromo).
The mutation was detected in only 1/115 Asian (Tharu) and in 5/170 Europeans (4 Italians,
1 Spanish).
These data confirm that in non-Europeans the prevalence of FV mutation is at least
7 times lower than in Europeans and provide indirect evidence of a low prevalence
not only of the FV Leiden gene but also of other genes leading to more severe thrombophilia.
Finally, findings from the literature together with those pertaining to this study
clearly show a marked heterogeneity among Europeans.