NIH Article

Below is a link to an interesting article about Factor V Leiden from the National Library of Medicine.

One comment I'd like to make on the article, is where it states that between 3 and 8 percent of the Caucasian population carry one of the genes (and 1 in 5000 carry two).

For years research has told us that it is between 1.5 and 2.0 percent of the Caucasian population. It makes me wonder if this change is because they are testing more people and therefore the percentage is going up? It would, but wouldn't, make sense at the same time if this is the case.

Or, could it possibly be that this number will fluctuate, and we are just at a point that it is higher than it was? If so, what is your guess at the percentage it would peek out at?

Any medical responses? Thoughts?

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=factorvleidenthrombophilia

Postthrombotic Syndrome

Postthrombotic Syndrome, PTS for short, is a condition that occurs in a significant number of patients after they have a DVT. The symptoms can include but are not limited to itching, swelling, discoloration, cramping, and severe pain. It is believed to be caused by a reflux of the blood when it gets to the location of the DVT.

PTS is dangerous because it can lead to tissue hypoxia, as well as ulceration. Also, depending on the place of the reflux, it can cause bleeding into the abdomen and other places.

Below is a link to an excellent article by Dr. Susan S. Khan and Dr. Jeffrey S. Ginsberg.

Relationship Between Deep Vein Thrombosis and the Postthrombotic Syndrome

Pictured is the one time this happened in my arm, circa February 2006. I've had it occur many times in my leg but my leg is always so swollen and discolored there isn't much contrast. But this surprise PTS in my arm really stood out.

Journal of Translational Medicine Article

Here is an article about Factor V Leiden in the Journal of Translational Medicine.

Vitamin K Levels in Common Foods

Below is a chart with the vitamin K levels in many common foods. Click to enlarge.

Stroke Survivors Article

Here is an article about FVL patients with patent foramen ovale by Stroke Survivors in Canada.

The UK Spin of Factor V Leiden

Here is an interesting article out of the UK about Factor V Leiden:

What is Factor V Leiden?

OSU Article on Vitamin K

Below is a link to an excellent article from Oregon State University about Vitamin K:

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminK

University of Illinois Article

Below is an article about Factor V Leiden from the University of Illinois. It discusses the history, statistics, and treatment for FVL.

It mentions in the article the following quote, which we are discussing in detail in the Factor V Leiden support group:

"At this time, the data available do not suggest any role between factor V Leiden and arterial thrombosis (stroke, heart attack)."

This is the second time I've stumbled across this statement in the last couple of weeks, and everyone (to my knowledge) is shocked by it and completely disagrees. We are discussing it with medical professionals and I will be posting my findings here.

Here is the article:

http://www.med.uiuc.edu/hematology/PtFacV2.htm

Cigna Healthcare Coverage Position on FVL Testing

Here is a link to the Cigna Healthcare Coverage Position on Factor V Leiden testing. Even with the cost of the test, it is definitely in the insurance company's interest to help get FVL diagnosed and preventative treatments started.

American Heart Association Article on FVL

Here is a link to a wonderful article about FVL from the Journal of the American Heart Association:

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/107/15/e94.pdf

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is: "Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke."

Greenjournal FVL and Pregnancy Article

Below is a link to an article by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists about the relationship of the Factor V Leiden mutation and pregnancy outcomes for mother and fetus. The objective was to seek estimates of the frequency of pregnancy-related thromboembolic events among carriers of the factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation without a personal history of thromboembolism, and to evaluate the impact of maternal and fetal FVL mutation carriage or other thrombophilias on the risk of adverse outcomes.

A link to the full text, including a PDF file, is located on the site below:

http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/106/3/517

United States FDA Guidance Document

Read the United States Food and Drug Administration's document that was developed as a special control to support the classification of Factor V Leiden (FVL) DNA mutation detection systems into class II (special controls).

Prothrombotic Disorders in Infants with Neonatal Cerebral Infarction

Link to a study that evaluates the occurrence of prothrombotic disorders in a well-characterized cohort of infants with neonatal stroke and to document any association of prothrombotic disorders with the type of infarct seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical outcome.