Summary
Factor V Leiden is associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis and myocardial
infarction in young women, but not in men in this latter case. The aim of this study
was to evaluate the prevalence of this mutation in patients with myocardial infarction
but normal coronary angiography.
We compared 3 groups of patients: one group consisted of 107 patients with premature
myocardial infarction but no significant coronary artery stenosis; another group of
244 patients with myocardial infarction and significant coronary artery stenosis;
a third group of 400 healthy controls.
Factor V Leiden was found in 13 patients (12.1%) who had a myocardial infarction without
significant coronary artery stenosis, 11 patients (4.5%) who had a myocardial infarction
with significant coronary artery stenosis (p = 0.01) and in 20 controls (5%) (p =
0.01). Odds ratio associated with factor V Leiden were respectively 2.93 (CI95 : 1.18-7.31)
and 2.63 (CI95 : 1.19-5.78) when we compared myocardial infarction patients without
significant coronary artery stenosis to controls or to patients with significant coronary
artery stenosis.
In myocardial infarction patients without significant coronary artery stenosis, prevalence
of factor V Leiden is significantly higher than in controls. This new finding supports
the hypothesis that thrombosis plays a key role in this selected situation.
Keywords
Coagulation - myocardial infarction - thrombosis - genetics