title: Role of coagulation factor XII in unexplained recurrent abortions in the Greek population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of congenital factor XII (FXII) deficiency in the South-European Caucasian (Greek) population in a cohort of women with recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSAs).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred women with a history of > or =2 RSAs of unexplained nature were compared to 100 age-matched, healthy controls with no history of thrombotic disease or adverse pregnancy outcomes, regarding FXII activity. Women were included in the RSA group if they had normal coagulation parameters and no congenital or acquired thrombophilia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen of 100 women with RSA had reduced FXII activity, whereas all controls had normal FXII activity. FXII activity was significantly lower in the RSA than in the control group (median 100.5, range 10-150 vs. median 104.2, range 58.3-143.2, p < 0.016 by Mann-Whitney test). FXII activity was positively correlated with age in both the RSA and the control groups (r = +0.1, p = 0.04 and r = +0.04, p = 0.2, respectively), but this correlation reached statistical significance in the RSA group only. A negative correlation between FXII activity and the number of abortions in the RSA group was found (r = -0.2, p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Congenital FXII deficiency is strongly associated with RSA in the Greek population.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dendrinos
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deliveliotou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasiou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D005174:Factor XII / Q000502:physiology*; D005175:Factor XII Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005174:Factor XII