Paradoxical bleeding and thrombosis in a patient with afibrinogenemia and fibrinogen Mumbai mutation.

OBJECTIVES

Thrombosis is rarely reported in cases of afibrinogenemia and is generally associated with thrombophilia or replacement therapy. Often, it is difficult to predict whether the patients will bleed or whether they are exposed to the risk of thrombosis.

METHODS

We report a patient with afibrinogenemia who presented with complete thrombosis of right hepatic, portal, and splenic veins and who described a lifelong history of bleeding. Direct sequencing of the three fibrinogen genes was performed to identify the mutation.

RESULTS

DNA sequencing showed the presence of a homozygous for G8017A substitution in exon 8 of the fibrinogen β-chain gene, resulting in a G434D missense mutation (Fibrinogen Mumbai).

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of both bleeding and thrombotic manifestations in a patient with afibrinogenemia in the presence of other associated risk factors warrants a very careful individualized approach in the management of patients with afibrinogenemia.