Preeclampsia and genetic risk factors for thrombosis: A case-control study

OBJECTIVE: Recently, it has been proposed that hereditary coagulation abnor malities leading to an increased venous thrombosis risk may play a role in the development of preeclampsia. We tested this hypothesis in women who hav e had preeclampsia compared with matched control subjects. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a case-control study of 163 women with preeclamp sia during 1991-1996. Control subjects were matched for age and delivery da te. Patients and control subjects were tested for the presence of factor V Leiden, prothrombin 20210A allele, protein C, protein S, and antithrombin d eficiency. Logistic regression methods were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of these genetic risk factors was similar in the pa tient group (12.9%) and the control group (12.9%; odds ratio, 1.0; 95% conf idence interval, 0.5-3.9). Unexpectedly, we found a high prevalence of fact or V Leiden in the control group (9.2%). CONCLUSION: We found no differences in the prevalence of genetic risk facto rs of thrombosis in women with preeclampsia compared with control subjects.