Newly identified gene variants raise risk of leg blood clots by 180 percent

Newly identified gene variants raise risk of leg blood clots by 180 percent

Blood clots can form in both arteries and veins. However, the reasons behind them differ, as do the consequences and the chances of preventing blood clots. In Sweden, almost half of all cases of venous thrombosis have a genetic explanation. A team of researchers from Lund University in Sweden has now discovered three gene variants that increase the risk of blood clots in the leg by up to 180%.

Genetic Risk Score Developed for Venous Thromboembolism

New research headed by a team at Lund University, Sweden, has identified three common gene variants that significantly raise the risk of venous thrombosis, a discovery the researchers contend is the most important genetic finding relating to blood clots since the discovery of Factor V Leiden.  The study, published in the journal Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, showed that variants in the ABO, F8, and VWF genes can raise the …