title: High incidence of thrombosis in African-American and Latin-American patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria.
abstract: Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria (PNH) results in a marked thrombophilic state by unknown mechanisms. Geographic differences in thrombosis incidence in PNH have been observed. We have reviewed 64 patients with "Classic PNH" from a single institution in order to determine the rate of thrombosis in different ethnic groups. When we compared African-Americans (n=11) and Latin-Americans (n=8) with other patients (n=45), we found that African-American and Latin-American patients are at increased risk [Hazard ratio 3.66 (p=0.005) and 3.52, (p=0.035) respectively by Cox regression]. Our data also suggest that this difference in the rate of thrombosis has an impact on length of survival. These findings demonstrate that ethnicity is a risk factor for thrombosis in PNH and have implications for decision-making regarding the management of these patients, including the prevention of thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. aratend@mskcc.org
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Araten
authors.forename: Howard T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luzzatto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity; D006457:Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000209:etiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology