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Semin Thromb Hemost 1996; 22(5): 415-418
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-999040
Copyright © 1996 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

ETRO Working Party on Factor XIII Questionnaire on Congenital Factor XIII Deficiency in Europe: Status and Perspectives

Rainer Seitz* , Francois Duckert† , S. Lopaciuk‡ , L. Muszbek§ , F. Rodeghiero∥ , U. Seligsohn , Study Group#
  • From the *Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Department of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Langen, Germany,
  • †Basel, Switzerland,
  • ‡Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, University of Warsaw, Poland,
  • §Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Hungary,
  • ∥Department of Hematology, S. Bartolo Hospital, Vicenca, Italy, and
  • ¶Department of Hematology, Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
  • #The study group {contributors of patient data; one name per group): Abgrall, Brest; Avril, Le Havre; Barthels, Hannover; Bertrop, Malmö; Brenner, Haifa; Capel, Brussels; Chaboche, Quimper; Dreyfuss, Le Kremlin Bicêtre; Egbring, Marburg; Fondu, Brussels; Fressinaud, Angeres; Giangrande, Oxford; Giradel, Belforth; Goudemand, Lille; Inbal, Tel Hashomer; Jones, Newcastle; Lämmle, Bern; Ljung, Malmö; Lopaciuk, Warsaw; Ludlam, Edinburgh; Mandelli, Rome; Marbet, Basel; Masure, Brussels; Meili, Bern; Mikkola, Helsinki; Nieuwenhuis, Utrecht; Panicucci, Pisa; Peters, Amsterdam; Rak, Debrecen; Rodeghiero, Vicenca; Scharrer, Frankfurt; Seyfert; Homburg; Sie, Toulouse; Torchet, Paris; Trzeciak, Lyon; Tusell, Barcellona; Worsley, Bournemouth; Zimmermann, Heidelberg.
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Publication History

Publication Date:
08 February 2008 (online)

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Abstract

A questionnaire was sent out in 1993 to more than 350 European institutions caring for patients with hemorrhagic disorders with the request to provide data of patients with congenital factor XIII deficiency, to pursue the following aims: (1) establish a registry of congenital factor XIII deficiency patients, (2) promote exchange between clinicians and basic researchers, (3) improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and (4) stimulate research on gene defects and their impact on factor XIII function. So far, 72 patient questionnaires from 60 families have been collected. Their bleeding pattern is typical, with frequent involvement of the umbilical cord and the central nervous system. Forty-nine patients receive regular factor XIII replacement, but obviously some patients with mild symptoms do not require prophylactic substitution, despite low factor XIII levels. On the other hand, 18 patients had factor XIII activities of ≥5% of normal, but only 3 of those patients were reported to have no bleeding symptoms. Furthermore, 17 symptomatic, apparently heterozygous relatives in eight families were observed. Seven out of 30 females aged over 18 years had experienced spontaneous abortions; wound healing problems were seen in 26 patients. Currently, a second questionnaire is being distributed to obtain more detailed information on bleeding and other symptoms, diagnostic approaches, and exclusion of concurrent other bleeding diatheses. Future activities will be validation and standardization of assays, and study of gene defects and their impact on the structure of factor XIII and symptoms of patients. We intend to expand the survey to countries outside Europe.

Key words:

Factor XIII - congenital deficiency - hemorrhage - wound healing - spontaneous abortion