Severe congenital protein C deficiency: description of a new mutation and prophylactic protein C therapy and in vivo pharmacokinetics

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2008 Feb;30(2):166-71. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e31815d8943.

Abstract

Severe congenital protein C deficiency is a rare life-threatening disorder that presents with purpura fulminans, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and thrombotic complications during the neonatal period. Affected children require acute replacement therapy with fresh frozen plasma or protein C concentrate, for example, Ceprotin (Baxter AG, Vienna). Long-term management and outcome is dependent on effective anticoagulation with warfarin, low-molecular weight heparin, or protein C concentrate. We describe the successful use of intravenous protein C concentrate for thrombotic prophylaxis in 2 sisters with severe type I protein C deficiency. Individualized long-term prophylactic regimens were developed based on clinical response. In vivo pharmacokinetic analyses of protein C concentrate were performed in each patient. Analysis of the protein C gene coding sequences identified 2 mutations in both patients, the previously described Arg169 to Trp mutation, and a novel mutation that changes Cys17 into a stop codon.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Protein C / genetics*
  • Protein C / pharmacokinetics
  • Protein C / therapeutic use*
  • Protein C Deficiency / genetics*

Substances

  • Protein C