Background and objectives: Earlier studies found a strong support for a genetic basis for regulation of coagulation factor levels. The present study was conducted to estimate the variation within coagulation factors levels, and how much of this variation could be attributed to heritability and household effect in pediatric stroke families.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 853 individuals from 224 white pediatric stroke pedigrees (male 51.3%). Heritability (h2r) and household effect (c2) were estimated for plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, factor (F) II, V, VIIIC, vWF, antithrombin, protein C, protein S, protein Z, prothrombin fragment F1.2 and D-dimer using the variance component method in sequential oligo-genetic linkage analysis routines (SOLAR).

Results: When incorporating h2r and c2 in one model, high and significant h2r estimates were found for protein Z (31.7), protein S (27.5), fibrinogen 29.9) and von Willebrand factor (20.4). In addition to the significant h2r estimates c2 showed a significant effect on phenotypic variation for protein Z (26.0), protein S (22.2) and vWF (14.8). A significant household effect without h2r interaction was found for FVIIIC (30.7), FII (25.6), protein C and FV (12.0).

Conclusion: In the cohort investigated we have shown that genetic factors have a major effect on plasma concentrations of coagulation factors. Our research stresses the importance of research into the genetic regulation of proteins involved in hemostasis associated with pediatric stroke.

Topics:
blood coagulation factors, cerebrovascular accident in children, genetics, hemostasis procedures, hemostatic function, protein s, protein z, von willebrand factor, fibrinogen, protein c

Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Author notes

*

Corresponding author

2006, The American Society of Hematology
2006
Sign in via your Institution