Summary
Many young patients with venous thromboembolic disease are partially resistant to
the anticoagulant action of activated protein C as a result of factor V (Arg506 ⟶ Gln) mutation. The frequency of this mutation in young patients with arterial thrombotic
diseases, such as myocardial infarction, is less well established. We studied 100
young patients with myocardial infarction and 100 age- and sex-matched controls. One
patient (1%; 95% CL 0.05-6.2) and two controls (2%; 95% CL 0.3-7.7) were heterozygotes
for the mutation; there was no homozygote in either group. Hence, premature myocardial
infarction is not associated with heterozygosity for factor V (Arg506 ⟶ Gln) mutation.