title: Prevalence of hemostatic alterations in patients with recurrent spontaneous subconjunctival hemorrhage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Subconjunctival hemorrage (SCH) is a frequent, mild bleeding manifestation and a common cause of consultation. Hemostatic alterations are possible causes of SCH but their role and prevalence is unknown. We assessed the prevalence of hemostatic abnormalities in patients with spontaneous, recurrent SCH to clarify the role of the hemostasis laboratory in this clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 105 SCH patients (21-78 years, 65 females) with no identifiable cause (hypertension-trauma-conjunctivitis) or concomitant treatments (NSAIDs- aspirin-oral anticoagulants-antiplatelet agents) and 53 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) (22-72 years, 29 females) were evaluated for skin bleeding time, PFA-100®, blood clotting screening, platelet count, light transmission aggregomery, VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, RIPA, FVIII activity, FXIII antigen and activity and ISTH Bleeding Severity Score (BSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of hemostatic abnormalities was not higher in the SCH population than in HCs BSS was 0.83 (95% CI 0.62-1.06) in SCH and 0.66 (0.37-0.95) in HC (p=NS). Type I Von Willebrand disease was diagnosed in one SCH and none HC patients, a prevalence not significantly different (p=NS by χ2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hemostatic alterations in patients with recurrent, spontaneous SCH is not different from the general population; hemostatic screening or second level tests are of no use in patients with recurrent SCH and no other bleedings.
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fierro
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bartolini
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mezzasoma
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guglielmini
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falcinelli
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orsini
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Momi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cagini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gresele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006490:Hemostatics