Factor V Leiden and the Slovak Population

Overview

The resistance to activated protein C (APC-resistance) based on the presence of factor V Leiden (FV Leiden) is the most frequent thrombophilic condition in the white race population. It contributesto the origin of thrombosis especially in the venous part of blood vessels. Significant geographicdifferences have been detected within Europe. The aim of this retrospective study was todetermine the frequency in the occurrence of F V Leiden: 1. in healthy (asymptomatic) Slovakpopulation, 2. in their consanguineously unrelated members with thrombosis and 3. in patientswith myocardial infarction (IM) without or with other known risk factors of this disease (nicotinism,obesity, hypertension, dyslipoproteinemia, diabetes mellitus), respectively. The detection ofFV Leiden was made by molecular biology methods. The occurrence in a group of 152 healthyindividuals was four % (6 persons) and this frequency corresponds to the geographic localizationof the Slovak Republic in Europe. In a group of 349 patients with thrombosis in anamnesis, FVLeiden was detected in 103 persons (29.5 %). The occurrence was higher than the usually reportedincidence in these patients (20 %). Likewise, in a group of 35 patients with IM without risk factorsin anamnesis, the occurrence of FV Leiden (8.6 %) was significantly higher in comparison withhealthy population and the incidence further increased significantly in a group of 41 patientswith IM and the presence of at least one risk factor (14.6 %). The authors therefore suppose anactive role of the Leiden mutation of FV gene in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Key words:
Factor V Leiden - Resistance to activated protein C - Slovak population - Thrombosis -Myocardial infarction