INTRODUCTION: Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare congenital thrombopathy, with a recessive autosomal transmission. We present here the genealogic study of a series of patients suffering from GT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study about all the GT patients treated in Sfax hematology department during 18 years. Final diagnosis was established by agregometry. Genealogic study was based on clinical history. RESULTS: 17 cases of GT from 11 families from the south of Tunisia wen collected. The disease was paricularly frequent in the region of Moulares-Gafsa (7 patients). The percentage of consanguinity was also very high (82%), with a third degree consanguinity of 86%. Family investigation revealed 6 previously unknown cases, and 10 deaths subsequent to hemorrhagic manifestations. CONCLUSION: The high rate of consanguinity, the absence of clinical or biological manifestations in the parents, and the ratio of ill to normal subjects in the same family which was about one to four, are suggestive of an autosomal recessive mode of transmission.
INTRODUCTION:Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare congenital thrombopathy, with a recessive autosomal transmission. We present here the genealogic study of a series of patients suffering from GT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study about all the GT patients treated in Sfax hematology department during 18 years. Final diagnosis was established by agregometry. Genealogic study was based on clinical history. RESULTS: 17 cases of GT from 11 families from the south of Tunisia wen collected. The disease was paricularly frequent in the region of Moulares-Gafsa (7 patients). The percentage of consanguinity was also very high (82%), with a third degree consanguinity of 86%. Family investigation revealed 6 previously unknown cases, and 10 deaths subsequent to hemorrhagic manifestations. CONCLUSION: The high rate of consanguinity, the absence of clinical or biological manifestations in the parents, and the ratio of ill to normal subjects in the same family which was about one to four, are suggestive of an autosomal recessive mode of transmission.