29 September 2015 : Case report
Life-Threatening Contraceptive-Related Pulmonary Embolism in a 14-Year-Old Girl with Hereditary Thrombophilia
Diagnostic / therapeutic accidents, Rare disease, Congenital defects / diseases
Maja HellfritzschABEF, Erik Lerkevang GroveABEFDOI: 10.12659/AJCR.894721
Am J Case Rep 2015; 16:667-669
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prothrombotic effect of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) is well-established, with a 3–6-fold increased risk of VTE compared to non-users. When initiation of COCs is considered, it is therefore of paramount importance to carefully evaluate all other potential risk factors for VTE. Based on a case of life-threatening COC-associated pulmonary embolism in a girl heterozygous for the prothrombin G20210A mutation and with a family history of thrombotic disease, we discuss the importance of assessing not just the genotype but also the phenotype when considering initiation of COCs in patients with thrombophilia.
CASE REPORT: A 14-year-old girl presented with acute onset of chest pain and dyspnea followed by syncope. She was hypoxic and hemodynamically compromised at admission. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography revealed a large central “saddle” pulmonary embolism causing nearly total occlusion of the right pulmonary artery, and several minor peripheral embolisms bilaterally. She was successfully treated with thrombolysis (alteplase) followed by aPTT-adjusted heparin infusion until adequate anticoagulation with warfarin was achieved. Two years earlier, the patient had been found heterozygote for the prothrombin G20210A mutation, and 9 months before admission she had initiated use of second-generation COCs.
CONCLUSIONS: Hereditary thrombophilia and a family history of early-onset venous thromboembolism (VTE) each pose an increased risk of VTE and should be considered as separate, irreversible risk factors. Other contraceptive methods should be used when treatment with COCs is expected to result in an unacceptable high risk of VTE.
Keywords: Contraceptives, Oral - adverse effects, Adolescent, Echocardiography, Pulmonary Embolism - diagnosis, Risk Factors, Thrombophilia - complications, Tomography, X-Ray Computed
In Press
12 Feb 2024 : Case report
Erdheim-Chester Disease Occult on Radiographs and CT but Visible on MRI and PETAm J Case Rep In Press; DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.941169
12 Feb 2024 : Case report
Surgical Treatment of Spontaneous Superficial Temporal Artery Arteriovenous Malformation: A Case ReportAm J Case Rep In Press; DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.942839
13 Feb 2024 : Case report
Warfarin Woes: A Rare Case of Hemoperitoneum with Intramural Small Bowel HematomaAm J Case Rep In Press; DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.943519
13 Feb 2024 : Case report
Hemorrhagic Presentation in Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Case StudyAm J Case Rep In Press; DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.942951
Most Viewed Current Articles
07 Mar 2024 : Case report
Neurocysticercosis Presenting as Migraine in the United StatesDOI :10.12659/AJCR.943133
Am J Case Rep 2024; 25:e943133
10 Jan 2022 : Case report
A Report on the First 7 Sequential Patients Treated Within the C-Reactive Protein Apheresis in COVID (CACOV...DOI :10.12659/AJCR.935263
Am J Case Rep 2022; 23:e935263
19 Jul 2022 : Case report
Atlantoaxial Subluxation Secondary to SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Rare Orthopedic Complication from COVID-19DOI :10.12659/AJCR.936128
Am J Case Rep 2022; 23:e936128
23 Feb 2022 : Case report
Penile Necrosis Associated with Local Intravenous Injection of CocaineDOI :10.12659/AJCR.935250
Am J Case Rep 2022; 23:e935250