Risk factors for thrombosis in Serbian children

Venous and arterial thromboses are increasingly encountered in the pediatric population. We present results of a case-control study of inherited and acquired risk factors for thrombosis in 129 pediatric patients from the first day of life to 18 years. The aims of study were to determine the importance of thrombophilic risk factors and comorbidity as a cause of thrombosis in children. Single thrombophilic risk factor was found in 24.4% (n = 21), whereas combined thrombophilic factors were found in 15.1% (n = 13) patients. A total of 87.2% of the children had recognized thrombophilic risk factors for thrombosis and/or additional comorbid risk factors. The single independent risk factors for thrombosis were mutation of factor V Leiden (P = 0.021), lupus anticoagulant antibodies (P = 0.028), and comorbidity (P = 0.000). Mutation of factor V Leiden [odds ratio (OR), 6.2 (95% confidence interval, CI 1.1-38.1, P = 0.048] was found to be a risk factor for venous thrombosis. Lupus anticoagulant antibodies were related to both venous (P = 0.008) and arterial thrombosis (P = 0.016). The frequency of inherited thrombophilic factors were the same in neonates and adolescents (23%). The prothrombotic gene mutations were present in 18.6% (n = 8) of asymptomatic children. Our study confirms that thrombosis in children is a multifactorial disorder, and associated most with the underlying medical disease (comorbidity) for vein thrombosis [OR, 18.6 (95% CI 3.7-93.4), P = 0.000] and for arterial thrombosis [OR, 10.5 (95% CI 2.2-49.9) P = 0.003]. Inherited thrombophilic disorders contributed to the development of thrombosis in children.