[Familial recurrent phlebitis due to deficiency of antithrombin III. Apropos of a case]

The authors report the case of a young woman aged 29, mother of 2 children, presenting a post-phlebitic syndrome with hyperalgic capillaritic ulcer, a 10 year history of serious thrombophlebitic episodes with repeated pulmonary embolism despite heparin therapy, and reports of similar episodes in the family, some of which proved fatal. Haematological study showed a clear diminution in progressive antithrombin activity. A discussion follows on the clinical and haematological aspects of this constitutional and familial deficiency, which has been known since 1965 (Egelberg). The relative rarity of this condition should not prevent the routine search (by combined functional, immunological and chromogenic estimation) in the presence of repeated thrombosis, and when the thrombosis is biologically resistant to heparin : in such cases, the indication for long term treatment with vitamin K antagonists is undeniable.