Spectrum of hereditary coagulation factor deficiencies in eastern province, Saudi Arabia

In a 7-year retrospective analysis (1991-97) of the records of the Department of Haematology, Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank (Dammam), 54 patients from all parts of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province were diagnosed with hereditary coagulation factor deficiencies. The largest group of patients, 42 haemophiliacs, included 4 non-Saudi patients. There were 39 haemophilia A or factor VIII deficiency patients, 2 haemophilia B or factor IX deficiency patients and 1 combined factor VIII and V deficiency patient. There were 5 Saudi patients with probable factor XIII deficiency, and 7 patients, all but one who were Saudi, had von Willebrand disease. The distribution of haemophilia patients in Eastern Province showed some differences compared with those reported from Riyadh and from Western countries. Among Saudis in Eastern Province, the number with suspected factor XIII deficiency, although low, was higher than that reported for other regions. The number of patients with haemophilia B and von Willebrand disease was lower than expected, when compared with the number of haemophilia A cases.