Thromboembolic diseases in families of women with placental abruption.

BACKGROUND

We explored the incidence of thromboembolic disease in relatives of women diagnosed with placental abruption, a condition that may be related to disordered coagulation.

METHODS

Using data from a multicenter, case-control study of placental abruption, we assessed thromboembolic diseases in first-degree male and female relatives of women with and without abruption. The analysis was restricted to biologic parents and full siblings, below 65 years of age, and corrected for familial clustering.

RESULTS

The prevalence of thromboembolic disease was 7.5% in 852 relatives of 212 placental abruption cases and 4.8% in 792 relatives of 206 controls. This increased risk was driven by an association among sisters of abruption probands (odds ratio = 6.8 [95% confidence interval = 1.8-26.0]), and to a lesser extent, among mothers (2.0 [1.0-4.2]). The risk of thromboembolic diseases was similar among the male relatives of placental abruption cases and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that thromboembolic diseases aggregate within female relatives of women with placental abruption.