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Prevalence of antithrombin deficiency in the healthy population
Author(s) -
Tait R. C.,
Walker Isobel D.,
Perry D. J.,
Islam S. I. A. M.,
Daly M. E.,
McCall F.,
Conkie J. A.,
Carrell R. W.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1994.tb04878.x
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , epidemiology , cohort , population , cohort study , pediatrics , environmental health
Summary . In a cohort of 9669 blood donors we have identified 16 cases of congenital AT deficiency (1 in 600) by way of family studies and AT gene analysis. Two donors had type I AT deficiency (prevalence 0.21 per 1000; 95% CI = 0.03/1000 to 0.75/1000), their families displaying a symptomatic phenotype. 14 donors had a type II deficiency (prevalence 1.45 per 1000; 95% CI = 0.79/1000 to 2.43/1000): one recurring and three unique mutations. None of these type II deficiencies appeared to confer a high thrombotic risk despite many of the affected individuals having experienced potentially prothrombotic challenges. The high frequency of these relatively asymptomatic variants may reflect a selection bias in the study population. However, their existence should not only add to our understanding of structure‐function relationships of AT but may also influence our management of asymptomatic deficient individuals identified in epidemiological or presurgical screening programmes.