Factor V-deficiency

Question

Dear CF-team,
My doctor in charge said once to me that I had a factor V-deficiency…can somebody explain to me what that means, it must have something to do with the blood….Do I have blood that is to thin or to thick?
I would be happy to get a more detailed explanation from you.
Yours sincerely,

Answer

Please notify:
Pay attention on the amendment dated 15.09.14 beneath this answer.
A factor V-deficiency is not (!!) the same as a factor V-Leiden mutation!

Dear Angie,

factor V-Leiden mutation is a disorder of the coagulation system. Coagulation means that the blood is getting solid. The coagulation system is protecting the body against bleeding and loss of blood but also against the possibility that the blood coagulates in the vessels at the wrong time. The coagulation is following a complicated chain reaction, in which many different factors are involved. In the coagulation process are involved among others: thrombocytes (platelets), fibrinogen, vitamin K, calcium and several so called coagulation factors. Coagulation factors are proteins, which show different interactions in the complicated coagulation process.
A disorder of the coagulation can be of acquired or inherited origin. Among the most important inherited risk factors are the consequences of genetic mutations (changes of the genetic material). Among those you find the most frequent inherited risk factor for a disorder of the coagulation: factor V-Leiden mutation. 5% of the population suffer from this genetic mutation.
In case of factor V-Leiden mutation the physiological balance is shifted towards a higher coagulation activity. Persons suffering from such a disorder might get thrombosis (generation of a clot in a vessel) or thromboembolism (blockage of a vessel due to a clot) under certain circumstances like pregnancy, intake of the pill, operations, immobilisation. Shortly speaking, persons with a factor V-Leiden mutation have a higher risk of getting a thrombosis.
Please contact your doctor in charge to talk about the consequences which has to been drawn out of the diagnosis for you.
Yours sincerely,
Yours Dr. Smaczny

Changed answer dated 15.09.2014

Factor V-deficiency is an inherited disease, that is accompanied by an enhanced bleeding tendency ("blood is too thin") and can lead to light to severe bleedings. The disaese occurs in women as well as in men, is however very rare (1:1 000 000). Because of a genetic defect it comes to a deficiency of a clotting factor of the blood coagulation cascade: factor V. This disease can cause different kinds of bleedings in the patients, such as e.g. nose bleedings, bleedings of the skin, mucosa or joints. In women it can come to a prolonged menstruational bleeding, in case of delivery, there is the risk of an increased blood loss. Furthermore there is the risk of a prolonged and massive bleeding in case of injuries or operations. The grade of severity of the illness depends on the blood level of factor V; the more severe the deficiency is, the more severe are the symptoms.

Please notify: Factor V-deficiency is not the same as factor V-Leiden mutation!

07.12.2007