A case of prekallikrein deficiency resulting in severe recurrent mucosal hemorrhage.

Abstract

Although most cases of prekallikrein deficiency are asymptomatic, a few reports link severe prekallikrein deficiency with thrombotic phenomena and recurrent pregnancy loss. Here, we present a case of a Jamaican female patient with prekallikrein deficiency, associated with a severe bleeding diathesis. A low level of plasma prekallikrein activity, along with the presence of C529Y mutation, confirmed the diagnosis in our patient. Some animals with prekallikrein deficiency were shown to have moderate bleeding tendencies. Furthermore, the first patient with prekallikrein deficiency from the African continent was a young child who presented with severe, hemophilia-like bleeding, featuring recurrent hemarthrosis and subcutaneous hematomas. We find it intriguing that our patient is of African heritage and presented with a moderate nasal bleeding tendency in her youth, followed by severe recurrent mucosal bleeding later in life.

• Authors: Constantin A Dasanu, Doru T Alexandrescu
• Journal: The American journal of the medical sciences (Am J Med Sci) Vol. 338 Issue 5 Pg. 429-30 (Nov 2009) ISSN: 1538-2990 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19773642 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Prekallikrein

Topics

• Aged
• Blood Coagulation
• Epistaxis (blood, etiology, genetics)
• Female
• Humans
• Partial Thromboplastin Time
• Point Mutation
• Prekallikrein (deficiency, genetics)
• Recurrence
• Severity of Illness Index