ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thromboembolic diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in most countries. Factor V Leiden was found to be a major cause of thromboembolic disease in Western countries. Chinese have proved to be less prone to thromboembolic diseases, therefore investigation of the prevalence of factor V Leiden is necessary among a Chinese population. METHODS: From May, 1997, to April, 1998, a total of 1,261 subjects, including 420 healthy subjects, 719 patients with nonthrombotic hematologic disorders, 77 patients with diabetes mellitus and 45 patients with deep vein thrombosis, different in age and sex, were consecutively entered into our study to determine the prevalence of factor V Leiden in the Chinese population (mean age, 50.1 +/- 18.3 years; range, 1-99 years). Of this population, 873 were male and 388 were female. RESULTS: None of the subjects was found to have factor V Leiden mutation (Arg 506-Gln mutation). Activated protein C resistance was also measured in 827 patients; none of them had an activated protein C ratio of less than 2.0. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that factor V Leiden mutation is rare among the Chinese.
