Man-made protein blocks pregnancy thrombosis

Tuesday December 9th, 2008

A revolutionary new anti-clotting treatment is proving successful in protecting pregnant women and surgery patients at high risk of thrombosis.

The treatment is based on a man-made anti-clotting protein, the conference of the American Society of Hematology was told.

Researchers claimed it as a "remarkable technological feat".

The treatment has already been testing on patients with a blood disorder known as hereditary antithrombin deficiency, which affects about one in 5,000 people.

Women with the condition are at high risk of succumbing to lethal blood clot conditions during pregnancy - and people of both sexes are at risk after surgery.

The protein is known as recombinant human antithrombin and replaces the protein in which the patients are deficient.

Some 12 pregnant women and six surgery patients - all with the condition - took part in the trial without showing any evidence of blood clotting.

Researcher Dr Michael Paidas, of Yale University, USA, said: "This is a remarkable technologic feat. We've shown that this genetically engineered protein can prevent complications linked to antithrombin deficiency.

"Ours is the first team in the United States to use the protein in a clinical trial with pregnant patients."

Tags: Childbirth and Pregnancy | Heart Health | North America

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