Frequency of Factor V Leiden in Patients Presenting With Venous Thromboembolism

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Factor V Leiden is important to assess the status of FVL mutation in patients of thrombosis to determine the disease burden in society since co-existence of said mutation and a predisposing environmental element increases the risk and complications of VTE by many folds. The diagnosis can also affect the decision regarding the use of anticoagulants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of FVL mutation in patients of VTE presenting with or without predisposing environmental factors.

Material and methods: Data was collected from 80 diagnosed cases of VTE after informed consent over a period of 10 months. 5ml Blood sample in EDTA vial was analyzed for FVL using real time PCR after extracting DNA via kit method. The results were correlated with the clinical history and recurrence of the disease. Cases of VTE with or without any predisposing environmental factor and who were recently put on anticoagulant therapy were included in the study. Patients with already detected FVL or other thrombophilia mutations on long term anticoagulant therapy were excluded.

Results: FVL mutation was detected in 22.5% of the sample population affecting 18 individuals out of 80 patients with heterozygous mutation being more common. Recurrence was observed with FVL mutation suggesting significant association of recurrence with mutation (p value <0.05).

Conclusion: FVL mutation is one of the most common causes of VTE in our society adding to the disease burden. The mutation was found to be associated with recurrence of the disease in patients whose anti-coagulant therapy was stopped.