Rare coagulation factor deficiencies: a countrywide screening data from India

As compared to haemophilia, although the clinical features and the management strategies for rare coagulation factor deficiencies are discussed, little is known about them. This study was undertaken to assess the distribution, clinical presentation and treatment of patients with rare coagulation factor deficiency disorders in a cross‐sectional population of India. Blood samples and other clinical details from patients suspected of rare coagulation factor deficiencies were collected by the Haemophilia Treatment Centers across India and were diagnosed at National Institute of Immunohaematology, Mumbai. A total of 321 cases of rare clotting factor deficiencies were diagnosed, of which 88% were severe, 10% moderate and 2% mild. Commonest deficiency encountered was factor XIII (FXIII) (30%) followed by FX (15.6%), FVII (15%), fibrinogen (12.1%), FXI (9%), combined V and VIII deficiency (5.6%) and congenital multiple vitamin K‐dependent coagulation factor deficiency (MCFD, 2.1%). Major representation of these deficiencies was from Southern and Western India (82%). Mucocutaneous bleeding was the commonest clinical presentation (59%); intracranial (IC) haemorrhage was seen in 18% of the patients; menorrhagia was an important clinical pointer in women in the reproductive age group (78%); 8% of the severe cases had no history of bleeding and 73% of the FXIII deficiency cases had umbilical stump bleeding. The major therapeutic products used was fresh frozen plasma (64%), cryoprecipitate (15%), whole blood (15%), antifibrinolytics (5%) and recombinant FVIIa (1%). A distinct pattern in the distribution of rare clotting factor deficiencies was observed which was based on multiple factors that include ethnicity and the available diagnostic facilities in different regions of this vast country.     

Thromboelastography in children with coagulation factor deficiencies

Hemophilia is traditionally classified according to the levels of the deficient coagulation factor as Severe (<1%), Moderate (1–5%) or Mild (>5%). However, it is well known that the factor activity does not necessarily correspond to the clinical bleeding manifestations. As prophylactic therapy is the best method of prevention of serious complications such as hemophilic arthropathy, a test that may predict the bleeding pattern would be extremely beneficial. Thromboelastography (TEG) uses whole blood to determine clot formation characteristics, such as initiation, propagation as well as strength of the clot, and is now being extensively studied in bleeding and thrombophilia. This study attempted to determine the TEG characteristics in 47 children with moderate hemophilia (MH) and severe hemophilia with (SHI) and without inhibitors (SH) and tried to retrospectively correlate them to the clinical bleeding patterns. TEG showed evidence of faster and better clot formation, as evidenced by a higher maximum thrombin/fibrin generation, in those with mild bleeding manifestations compared to those with severe bleeding tendency, in addition to the expected prolongation in time to formation of clot related to factor deficiency. This may be a potentially useful tool to evaluate the bleeding tendency and determine need for prophylaxis in children with hemophilia.     

Familial multiple coagulation factor deficiencies – chance associations and distinct clinical disorders

Summary.  The familial multiple coagulation factor deficiencies (FMCFDs) are a group of rare haemostatic disorders of genetic origin in which there is reduced plasma activity of more than one coagulation factor. FMCFDs may arise from co-incidental inheritance of separate coagulation factor deficiencies or from a single genetic or cytogenetic defect. All the FMCFDs present significant challenges in diagnosis and management yet there is little systematic evidence with which to guide clinical practice. This review summarizes the historical literature that describes the FMCFDs and introduces a refined classification of these disorders. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the most common FMCFDs are considered in detail.     

A review of long‐term prophylaxis in the rare inherited coagulation factor deficiencies

Summary. The rare inherited coagulation factor deficiencies (deficiencies of factors I, II, V, VII, XI, XIII, combined FV + FVII deficiency, combined deficiency of the vitamin K dependent factors and von Willebrand disease type 3) have an aggregate prevalence of approximately 1:100 000. They may cause recurrent life or function threatening haemorrhage. In this article we review the available literature on long‐term prophylaxis and, where possible, make recommendations on this important area.     

Is there a ‘Basque’ profile regarding autosomal recessive deficiencies of coagulation factors?*

When excluding haemophilia and von Willebrand disease, coagulation factors deficiencies constitute rare autosomal recessive disorders (<1 in 500,000) of less precisely defined epidemiology. We have reported herein the distribution of these entities in the French Basque Country, a genetic isolate of very old individualization with peculiar biological specificities. The prevalence of these disorders was markedly high, especially, as already shown, factor XI deficiency. This unusual profile needs to be discussed in the view of population genetics.     

Lipase deficiencies

Two enzymes, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase, are involved in the hydrolysis of triglycerides from chylomicrons and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Lipoprotein lipase has an absolute requirement for apolipoprotein CII for activity. Three inborn errors of metabolism which give rise to hypertriglyceridaemia have been described. The biochemical and clinical aspects of these disorders, lipoprotein lipase deficiency (familial type I hyperlipoproteinaemia), hepatic triglyceride lipase deficiency and apo-CII deficiency are discussed.     

Comparative incidence of thrombosis in reported cases of deficiencies of factors of the contact phase of blood coagulation

Thrombotic manifestations occurring in patients with coagulation defects have drawn considerable attention during the last decade. It concerned mainly patients with hemophilia, vW disease or FVII deficiency. Occasional reports involved also the deficiencies of the contact phase of blood coagulation, mainly FXII deficiency. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the comparative incidence of thrombosis in all reported patients with FXII, Prekallikrein and Kininogens deficiencies. Out of the reported 341 cases with these conditions that could be tracked there were 43 cases with thrombosis. More specifically, there were 32 patients with FXII deficiency who also had a thrombotic event (16 arterial and 16 venous). As far as Prekallikrein deficiency is concerned, there were nine cases with thrombosis (five arterial and four venous). Finally, two patients with Total or High molecular weight Kininogen deficiencies had also a thrombotic manifestation (one arterial and one venous). The thrombotic manifestations were M.I. 11 cases; ischemic stroke 9 cases; peripheral arteries 3 cases; deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism 17 cases; thrombosis in other veins 3 cases. Congenital or acquired associated prothrombotic risk factors were present in 33 out of 36 cases. In three cases the existence of associated risk factors was excluded whereas in the remaining seven patients no mention is made in this regard. This study clearly indicates that the severe in vitro coagulation defect seen in these conditions does not protect from thrombosis.     

Rare inherited bleeding disorders secondary to coagulation factors in Jordan: a nine-year study.

This work reports on rare inherited coagulation factors defects which were seen in a developing country over a 9-year period. There were a total of 30 cases which fulfilled this diagnosis. Fibrinogen abnormalities were the most frequently encountered. There were 10 patients with afibrinogenemia, 2 with hypofibrinogenemia and 1 case with dysfibrinogenemia. Factor XI deficiency was found in 7 patients, factor V and VII deficiencies accounted for 3 cases each. Factor X and XIII deficiencies were found in 2 patients each. All these rare deficiencies accounted for 10% of all inherited bleeding disorders in the population studied over 9 years.     

Amino acid synthesis deficiencies

In recent years the number of disorders known to affect amino acid synthesis has grown rapidly. Nor is it just the number of disorders that has increased: the associated clinical phenotypes have also expanded spectacularly, primarily due to the advances of next generation sequencing diagnostics. In contrast to the “classical” inborn errors of metabolism in catabolic pathways, in which elevated levels of metabolites are easily detected in body fluids, synthesis defects present with low values of metabolites or, confusingly, even completely normal levels of amino acids. This makes the biochemical diagnosis of this relatively new group of metabolic diseases challenging. Defects in the synthesis pathways of serine metabolism, glutamine, proline and, recently, asparagine have all been reported. Although these amino acid synthesis defects are in unrelated metabolic pathways, they do share many clinical features. In children the central nervous system is primarily affected, giving rise to (congenital) microcephaly, early onset seizures and varying degrees of mental disability. The brain abnormalities are accompanied by skin disorders such as cutis laxa in defects of proline synthesis, collodion-like skin and ichthyosis in serine deficiency, and necrolytic erythema in glutamine deficiency. Hypomyelination with accompanying loss of brain volume and gyration defects can be observed on brain MRI in all synthesis disorders. In adults with defects in serine or proline synthesis, spastic paraplegia and several forms of polyneuropathy with or without intellectual disability appear to be the major symptoms in these late-presenting forms of amino acid disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the disorders in amino acid synthesis.     

Nutritional deficiencies in chronic pancreatitis

Marked weight loss is the major nutritional defect in chronic pancreatitis. Inadequate food intake owing to recurrent or near continuous pain usually accounts for the initial 10 to 20 per cent of loss of body weight, which decreases again with the onset of diabetes and is often precipitous with the development of steatorrhea. Treatment of pain, control of diabetes, and intensive pancreatic replacement therapy for steatorrhea usually causes weight gain, but seldom to ideal weight. It appears that the patient's body weight gets set at a new "weight-stat." Although isolated abnormalities of small bowel function tests can be elicited and deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins, calcium, zinc, selenium, and so forth may be demonstrated, these rarely lead to clinical syndromes, as with demonstrable low B12 uptake in some 10 to 15 per cent of patients. In the late stage of the disease and particularly in NATP, extreme protein-calorie malnutrition may occur, which may not be correctable even by hyperalimentation. Although the mortality of the disease was reportedly higher in areas of socioeconomic deprivation, it appears from recent studies in Switzerland and other developed countries that mortality during a 12-year period may be in the region of 50 per cent worldwide.     

Hypoglycemia secondary to endocrine deficiencies

Hypoglycemia secondary to endocrine deficiencies is uncommon, but it occurs. The endocrine deficiency may be of hypothalamic-pituitary origin or may be due to primary failure of the adrenal gland or the thyroid gland. If hypoglycemia is suspected, the diagnosis should be established immediately by measurement of the blood sugar level. Blood should also be obtained for subsequent use in confirming the diagnosis of the endocrine disease responsible for causing the hypoglycemia. A 50% dextrose in water solution should immediately be injected, and fluid therapy consisting of 5% dextrose in normal saline should be initiated. Intravenous cortisone should be given if primary or secondary adrenal cortical insufficiency is suspected until the results of the biochemical tests become available. If hypothyroidism is suspected, intravenous L-thyroxine should be given carefully in addition to the cortisone treatment. Failure in recognizing hormone deficiencies as the cause of hypoglycemia in some patients and failure in promptly correcting the condition may lead to fatal consequences.