Thromb Haemost 2008; 100(03): 440-446
DOI: 10.1160/TH08-03-0196
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Hereditary and acquired thrombophilia in patients with upper extremity deep-vein thrombosis

Results from the MAISTHRO registry
Birgit Linnemann
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
,
Florian Meister
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
,
Jan Schwonberg
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
,
Marc Schindewolf
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
,
Dimitrios Zgouras
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
,
Edelgard Lindhoff-Last
1   J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 28 March 2008

Accepted after major revision: 22 June 2008

Publication Date:
22 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

The prevalence of coagulation disorders in patients with upper extremity deep-vein thrombosis (UE-DVT) is unknown due to only a few observational studies of limited size reporting varying results. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of thrombophilia in patients with UE-DVT compared to patients with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LE-DVT). One hundred fifty consecutive patients (15 to 91 years of age) with UE-DVT were recruited from the MAISTHRO (MAin-ISar-THROmbosis) registry. Three hundred LE-DVT patients matched for gender and age served as controls. Thrombophilia screening included tests for the factor V Leiden mutation, the prothrombin G20210A mutation, antiphospholipid antibodies and factor VIII (FVIII), protein C, protein S and antithrombin activities. At least one thrombophilia was present in 34.2% of UE-DVT and 39.2% in UE-DVT that was unrelated to venous catheters relative to 55.3% in LE-DVT patients (p<0.001). In particular, a persistently elevated FVIII is less likely to be found in UE-DVT patients than in those with LE-DVT and is the only thrombophilia that is differentially expressed after controlling for established VTE risk factors [OR 0.46, (95% CI 0.25–0.83)]. Although less prevalent than in LE-DVT patients, thrombophilia is a common finding in patients with UE-DVT, especially in those with thrombosis that is unrelated to venous catheters.