Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Measurement of Factor V Activity in Human Plasma Using a Microplate Coagulation Assay
Published on: September 9, 2012
Factor XIII-A subunit Val34Leu polymorphism in fatal hemorrhagic stroke.
B Antalfi1, E Pongrácz, Z Csiki
1Department of Pathology, Diósgyori Vasgyári Hospital, Miskolc, Hungary.
The Val34Leu polymorphism in blood coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) was studied in patients with fatal primary intracerebral hemorrhages (PICH). The Leu34Leu variant significantly increased the risk of fatal PICH stroke, particularly in men.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Neurology
- Hematology
Background:
- Blood coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) is crucial for fibrin clot stability and mechanical strength.
- The Val34Leu polymorphism in the FXIII-A subunit's role in fatal primary intracerebral hemorrhages (PICH) remains uninvestigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of the FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism in patients with fatal PICH.
- To determine if this polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of fatal PICH.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study.
- Analysis of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism prevalence in 98 patients with fatal PICH and matched controls.
- DNA extraction from paraffin-embedded tissues (PICH cases) and peripheral white blood cells (controls).
Main Results:
- The FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of PICH (odds ratios: 5.429 total, 3.286 female, 7.661 male).
- The Leu34Leu homozygous variant significantly elevated the risk of fatal PICH stroke in males.
Conclusions:
- The FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism, specifically the Leu34Leu variant, is a significant risk factor for fatal PICH, especially in men.
- This finding contributes to understanding the genetic underpinnings of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Related Concept Videos
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Hemorrhagic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
Clot Retraction and Fibrinolysis
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways of Hemostasis
The Extrinsic Pathway
The extrinsic pathway of coagulation is typically initiated by tissue damage that exposes blood to tissue factor (TF), a protein released by the damaged tissue cells outside the blood vessels—this interaction with TF triggers biochemical reactions involving specific clotting factors. The key player here is Factor VII, which forms a...

