BACKGROUND: Thromboembolic disease is very common, with a yearly incidence in the general population of approximately 1 case per a thousand individuals. The risk factors for thrombosis include both hereditary and acquired conditions. A point mutation in coagulation factor II, prothrombin G20210A (PTCR), constitutes the second most prevalent genetic defect associated with the predisposition to thrombosis or thrombophilia. In Brazil, the study of this risk factor is relatively recent and there is little available data in medical literature. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of PTCR in 285 individuals being investigated for thrombophilia at Fundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE/PE). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The molecular biology technique used was restriction enzyme/polymerase chain reaction (RE/PCR), using specific primers and the Hind III enzyme. RESULTS: The frequency of PTCR was 6% in heterozygosis. The presence of the mutation was similar among individuals under and over 45 years old. DISCUSSION: The presence of PTCR may have been a relevant factor for the episodes of thrombosis, and the low median age of the group suggests that other genetic causes of thrombophilia must be investigated inasmuch as most publications associate the presence of genetic risk factor with thrombotic events in individuals under 45 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that the frequency of PTCR in the studied population is similar to the results published in medical literature for selected patients with thromboembolism and they confirm the importance of molecular testing at different age groups.
Thrombophilia; Prothrombin; Venous thrombosis
