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Hypercoagulability. Should every patient with venous thrombosis be tested?
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St Vincent Charity Hospital and Health Center, Cleveland, OH 44115.
Postgraduate Medicine
|November 1, 1991
Summary
Anticoagulant protein deficiency testing has low predictive value for venous thrombosis. Testing is recommended only for specific patient groups, while antiphospholipid antibody tests offer higher predictive value for certain thrombotic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Medical diagnostics
- Hematology
- Thrombosis research
Background:
- Anticoagulant protein deficiencies and decreased fibrinolysis have limited predictive value for venous thrombosis in the general population.
- Current diagnostic approaches for thrombosis require refinement for improved patient stratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive value of various laboratory tests for venous thrombosis.
- To identify patient subgroups who may benefit from specific thrombotic event testing.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on anticoagulant protein deficiencies and thrombosis.
- Analysis of the specificity and predictive value of fibrinolysis and antiphospholipid antibody testing.
Main Results:
- Anticoagulant protein deficiency testing shows low predictive value for venous thrombosis.
- Decreased fibrinolysis lacks sufficient specificity for high predictive value.
- Antiphospholipid antibodies demonstrate a relatively high predictive value for specific thrombotic events.
Conclusions:
- Routine testing for anticoagulant protein deficiencies is not recommended for the general population.
- Testing for antiphospholipid antibodies is justified in patients with arterial thrombosis or a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes.