FACTOR-XIII INSUFFICIENCY IN A PATIENT WITH SEVERE PSORIASIS-VULGARIS, ARTHRITIS, AND INFIRMITY

Factor XIII (FMIII) links soluble fibrin monomers and collagen fibres to stable fibrin connections. Deficiency of FXIII, caused by dyspoiesi s or increased consumption, results in a bleeding tendency and wound h ealing complications. Although the decrease of FXIII and successful re placement in patients with wound healing complications after surgery h ave been described by several authors, it is rarely considered that pa tients with autoimmune diseases, bleeding or healing complications may suffer from FXIII deficiency. We report a patient with severe psorias is vulgaris generalisata with large, painful erythemas, bleeding tende ncy, joint contractions and infirmity, whose FXIII activity was 19%. a fter successful replacement the bleeding tendency vanished, and a mark ed improvement of skin and joint mobility allowed mobilisation and adm inistration of physical therapy, whereby some independence and mobilit y were restored to the patient.