Health Encyclopedia

Factor XII (Hageman factor) deficiency

Definition

Factor XII deficiency is an inherited disorder with no symptoms. Factor XII is a protein involved in blood clotting. A deficiency of this factor does not cause abnormal bleeding in the affected person, but the blood takes longer than normal to clot in a test tube.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Factor XII deficiency is a rare hereditary disorder. It is usually found when clotting tests are done for routine screening. It is not associated with abnormal bleeding.

Symptoms

There are usually no symptoms.

Signs and tests

Abnormal factor XII assay
Prolonged partial thromboplastin time

Treatment

Treatment is generally unnecessary.

Expectations (prognosis)

The outcome is expected to be good without treatment.

Complications

There are usually no complications.

Calling your health care provider

This condition is usually discovered by the health care provider, when prolonged clotting is noticed in the process of running other laboratory tests.

Prevention

This is an inherited disorder. There is no known way to prevent it.

References

McPherson RA and Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 21st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: WB Saunders; 2006.

Hoffman R, Benz Jr. EJ, Shattil SJ, et al., eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Philladelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingston; 2005:2089-90.

Review Date:2/26/2007
Reviewed By:William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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