Description and Clinical Management of Patients With Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia in a University Hospital, a Referral Center Specialized in Hemostasis, in Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is an autosomal recessive disorder of platelets caused by a deficiency in the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa. Bleeding from the skin, mucous membranes, and ecchymosis are symptoms manifested starting in early childhood. There may also be major bleeding conditions as a result of surgical procedures or trauma. The treatment is based on platelet transfusions, antifibrinolytic agents, and recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa). Objective To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the main treatment strategies used during bleeding events or procedures for patients diagnosed with GT that required inpatient attention at a university hospital, a referral center specialized in hemostasis, in the city of Bogota. Materials and methods A descriptive retrospective cohort study was done over a period of 10 years that included nine patients over 18 years of age diagnosed with GT. Results A total of 34 admissions were reported, 23 due to bleeding and 11 for scheduled surgery. Some of the admissions for bleeding (38%) (n=13) required surgical procedures. Overall, 23 surgical procedures were done, six of which were classified as major. Seventy-seven percent of the patients were women with a median age of 37. Their most common symptoms were mucosal and genitourinary bleeding. The use of antifibrinolytics was registered in 28 events, followed by the use of platelet transfusion in 19, and the use of rFVIIa in 17. The average hospital stay was eight days. Conclusion The characteristics registered and the treatments established for this cohort of Colombian patients with GT are similar to those reported in other hospitals around the world. GT presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges and, therefore, acquiring more knowledge about this pathology is needed within this context.