Clinical guidelines for thrombophilia testing in patients with venous thromboembolism

Thrombophilia is a condition that increases susceptibility for the development of venous thromboembolism due to accelerated blood clotting. The article describes congenital and acquired thrombophilic conditions, their prevalence, the risk for a first and recurrent venous thromboembolism, and laboratory methods for the determination and evaluation of thrombophilias. Thrombophilia testing has only limited purpose and may be useful in patients with venous thromboembolism only when the results influence the duration of anticoagulant treatment or measures to prevent a recurrence of the disease. Therefore, thrombophilia testing includes clinically the most important thrombophilias and is recommended only in women of childbearing potential, in patients younger than 50 years with idiopathic venous thrombosis at an unusual site or suspected antiphospholipid syndrome and in patients with recurrence of idiopathic venous thromboembolism before the age of 50 years. Thrombophilia testing in other patients with venous thromboembolism cannot be justified.