Protein S deficiency is common in a healthy Thai population.
Currently, venous thromboembolism is a growing menace in Asians, approaching to that of Western countries. The most common genetic mutations causing thrombosis in Caucasians are factor V Leiden and prothrombin mutation. However both are very rare in Asians. On the other hand, natural anticoagulant protein (protein S, protein C and antithrombin) deficiencies are more common in Asian than in Western thrombotic patients. The prevalence of these deficiencies is very low in healthy Caucasians (0.02-0.3%). It is possible that the prevalence is higher in an Asian general population. However there have been very few prevalence studies to prove this hypothesis. Protein S deficiency was found in 3.7% (13/352, 95% confident interval 1.72-5.66) healthy Thais. Seven of them were type III deficiency. Similar to previous studies, total and free protein S levels were lower in females, but positively and negatively correlated with age, respectively. In contrast, one protein C deficiency (0.27%, 1/370) and no antithrombin deficiency (0/206) were detectable in our population. Furthermore, the authors found that antithrombin was significantly lower in women and there was a positive correlation between protein C activity and age. In conclusion, protein S deficiency is more common in Thais than in Caucasians. This result remains to be confirmed by a large population-based study.
Akkawat
Benjaporn
B
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Rojnuckarin
Ponlapat
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011486:Protein C / Q000032:analysis; D017293:Protein S / Q000032:analysis; D018455:Protein S Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*
D011486:Protein C; D017293:Protein S