Related Experiment Videos
Perthes' disease and the relevance of thrombophilia
D P Thomas1, G Morgan, K Tayton
1Department of Orthopaedics, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, South Wales, UK.
Insights
Thrombophilia and coagulopathy are less common in children with Perthes
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Hematology
Background:
- Previous studies suggested thrombophilia and coagulopathy may be significant etiological factors in Perthes' disease.
- These conditions were hypothesized to be present in up to 50% and 75% of affected children, respectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of thrombophilia and coagulopathy in a local cohort of children diagnosed with Perthes' disease.
- To assess the correlation between these hemostatic abnormalities and the clinical severity of Perthes' disease.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 64 children diagnosed with Perthes' disease was evaluated.
- Clotting protein levels were assessed and compared against established pediatric normal ranges.
- Thrombophilic tendencies were identified among children with subnormal clotting protein levels.
Main Results:
- Only 12% (eight out of 64) of the children exhibited low levels of clotting proteins below normal pediatric ranges.
- Among these eight children, only five demonstrated a discernible thrombophilic tendency.
- The findings indicate a lower prevalence of thrombophilia and coagulopathy than previously suggested.
Conclusions:
- Thrombophilia and coagulopathy appear to be less prevalent etiological factors in Perthes' disease within this population than previously reported.
- The study did not find a significant correlation between thrombophilia and the severity of Perthes' disease in the evaluated cohort.
Abstract:
Recent work has suggested that thrombophilia may be an aetiological factor in up to 50% of children with Perthes' disease, and that up to 75% may have a coagulopathy. Our aim was to test these findings in the local population of children with Perthes' disease and attempt to correlate them with the severity of the condition. In 64 children there were only eight (12%) with low levels of clotting proteins, as defined by normal paediatric ranges. Of these eight, only five could be said to show any thrombophilic tendency.