Prevalence of inherited thrombophilia in patients with documented stent thrombosis

Stent thrombosis (ST) is a multi-factorial process involving different mechanisms. The impact of inherited coagulation disorders in the genesis of ST has never been assessed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of G1691A Factor V Leiden mutation, G20210A Factor II (prothrombin) mutation and C677T homozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism in patients with ST.

The prevalence of the aforementioned gene variations was assessed in 127 patients: 50 admitted for ST and 77 previously treated with percutaneous coronary intervention not developing ST. A control cohort of 529 healthy volunteers was sampled from the same geographical area. Patients with ST were carriers of at least 1 gene variation in 28% of cases. The prevalence of G1691A Factor V Leiden mutation (odds ratio [OR]=0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04-10.5), G20210A Factor II mutation (OR=0.63; 95% CI: 0.12-3.28) and C677T MTHFR homozygous polymorphism (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.47-2.72) did not differ significantly among patients with or without ST. The logistic regression model did not show a significant association between gene variations and ST (OR=0.61; 95% CI: 0.24-1.60; P=0.32).

A specific association between studied gene variations and ST has not been detected. The relatively high prevalence of at least 1 gene anomaly in such a rare subset of patients, and its consequences in term of secondary prevention therapy, suggests that screening for thrombophilia might be justifiable in cases of ST.