[Thrombophilia and Perthes' disease?].

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that the cause of Perthes disease may be intravascular thrombosis induced by a potential congenital hemostatic disorder leading to conditions of thrombophilia or hyperfibrinolysis.

METHOD: Complete study of hemostasis with coagulation and antithrombin factors as well as study of thrombophilia and fibrinolysis in these patients could determine the prevalence of hemostasis and fibrinolysis in this group of patients.

PATIENTS: Twenty-five patients between the ages of 5 and 25 years during the study period and previously diagnosed with Perthes' disease underwent hemostasis and thrombophilia analysis. Results were compared with those of a control group.

RESULTS

Alterations in hemostasis and thrombosis were detected in one patient who had moderate-to-light protein S deficiency. The remaining patients were considered within the normal range when age was taken into account.

CONCLUSIONS

Epidemiological and laboratory data from this group of pediatric patients and from the control group do not support the hypothesis that a thrombogenesis defect could be the underlying cause of avascular necrosis of the hip joint.