Related Experiment Videos
Symptomatic venous thromboembolism in Hong Kong Chinese children
Insights
The incidence of venous thromboembolic disease in Hong Kong Chinese children is similar to Caucasian children. Predisposing factors such as hereditary conditions and malignancy are common in pediatric venous thromboembolism.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Thrombosis
- Hematology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a significant concern in children.
- Understanding the incidence and risk factors in diverse populations is crucial for effective prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of VTE in Hong Kong Chinese children.
- To identify associated predisposing factors in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series conducted at a public hospital in Hong Kong.
- Inclusion criteria: Hong Kong Chinese children under 15 diagnosed with symptomatic VTE between 1995-2000.
- Data collected: clinical features, predisposing factors, treatment, and outcomes from medical records.
Main Results:
- Eight children (mean age 11.5 years) were studied, presenting with deep vein thrombosis, superior vena cava thrombosis, or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.
- Common predisposing factors included hereditary protein deficiencies (protein C, protein S), malignancy, and neurosurgery.
- All children's VTE resolved, with one recurrence and one case of post-thrombotic syndrome.
Conclusions:
- The annual incidence of VTE in Hong Kong Chinese children is 0.74 per 100,000, comparable to Caucasian children.
- Hereditary prothrombotic conditions are frequent predisposing factors in pediatric VTE.
- VTE in children requires careful management of underlying risk factors and appropriate anticoagulation therapy.
Objective:
To determine the incidence of venous thromboembolic disease in children of Chinese origin, and associated predisposing factors. DESIGN. Retrospective case series.
Setting:
A general, public hospital serving a population of approximately 181,000 children in Hong Kong.
Patients And Methods:
Hong Kong Chinese children under the age of 15 years who were diagnosed with a symptomatic venous thromboembolic event between 1995 and 2000 were included. Data on clinical features, predisposing factors, treatment, and outcome were obtained from review of hospital medical records.
Results:
Eight children (five girls and three boys) of mean age 11.5 years (range, 0-14.7 years) were included in the study. They presented with deep vein thrombosis (n=4, with pulmonary embolism in one), superior vena cava thrombosis (n=1), and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (n=3). Predisposing factors included hereditary protein C deficiency (n=3), protein S deficiency (n=2), anticardiolipin antibodies (n=1), malignancy (n=3), recent neurosurgery (n=2), infection (n=1), with multiple predisposing factors seen in three patients. Anticoagulant therapy was prescribed in five patients, and long-term warfarin therapy was required in two cases. Venous thromboembolic disease resolved in all children, but one patient had a recurrence after cessation of warfarin therapy, and one patient had post-thrombotic syndrome.
Conclusion:
The rate of venous thromboembolic disease in Hong Kong Chinese children was comparable to that seen in Caucasian children, with an annual incidence of 0.74 per 100,000 children. Predisposing factors, including hereditary prothrombotic conditions, were common.