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Inherited defects of the protein C anticoagulant system in childhood thrombo-embolism

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Abstract

Childhood thrombo-embolism is mostly the result of inherited thrombophilia or vascular insults combined with risk factors such as peripartal asphyxia, fetopathia diabetica, exsiccosis, septicaemia, central lines, congenital heart disease, cancer, trauma, surgery or elevated antiphospholipid antibodies. Inherited thrombophilia includes mainly defects of the protein C pathway, resistance to activated protein C, protein C or protein S deficiency. Resistance to activated protein C, in the majority of cases caused by the point mutation Arg 506 Gln of the factor V gene, has emerged as the most important hereditary cause of thrombo-embolism in adults and children. However, since an acquired risk of thrombo-embolic complications frequently masks the inherited deficiency in affected children, children with thrombo-embolism should have adequate laboratory evaluation for inherited coagulation disorders, especially the protein C pathway. Until more data on childhood thrombo-embolism are available, treatment recommendations will continue to be extrapolated from guidelines for adults.

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Abbreviations

APC :

activated protein C

APCR :

resistance to the anticoagulatory effect of protein C

aPTT :

activated partial thromboplastin time

C4bB :

C4b binding protein

FFP :

fresh frozen plasma

PC :

protein C

PS :

protein S

TF :

tissue factor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Albert-Schweitzer-Strasse 33, D-48149, Münster, Germany

    U. Nowak-Göttl & H. Vielhaber

  2. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Munich, Germany

    K. Auberger

  3. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany

    U. Göbel

  4. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

    W. Kreuz

  5. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Kiel, Germany

    R. Schneppenheim

  6. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Graz, Austria

    W. Zenz

  7. Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany

    B. Zieger

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  1. U. Nowak-Göttl
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Nowak-Göttl, U., Auberger, K., Göbel, U. et al. Inherited defects of the protein C anticoagulant system in childhood thrombo-embolism. Eur J Pediatr 155, 921–927 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02282879

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