Heparin cofactor II deficiency

Objectives. - To review of the state of the art relating to congenital heparin cofactor II deficiency as a potential risk factor for thrombosis, as reflected by the medical literature and the consensus opinion of recognized experts in the field, and to make recommendations for the use of laboratory assays for assessing this thrombotic risk in individual patients. Data Sources. - Review of the medical literature, primarily from the last 10 years. Data Extraction and Synthesis. - After an initial assessment of the literature, including review of clinical study design and laboratory methods, a draft manuscript was prepared and circulated to participants in the College of American Pathologists Conference XXXVI: Diagnostic Issues in Thrombophilia. Recommendations were accepted if a consensus of experts attending the conference was reached. The results of the discussion were used to revise the manuscript into its final form. Conclusions. - Consensus was reached that there is insufficient evidence to recommend testing for heparin cofactor II deficiency in patients with thromboembolic disease.