The Stagen factor V Leiden mutation is a new kit allowing to perform all steps necessary to identify the Leiden mutation of Factor V, from DNA extraction from patient's blood sample to electrophoresis of amplification products. The method is based on an allele specific amplification, which allows patient's genotype to be established in a single step. Analytical properties of the kit have been tested first, and revealed the robustness of the kit. In a second step, a prospective study of a cohort of 300 thrombophilic patients demonstrated the specificity and the sensitivity of the method. In additions, several controls and methodological ingenious processes allow to minimize the risk of human or method errors, making the reliability of the kit. Finally, the Stagen factor V Leiden mutation is easy and rapid to use in hospital or private laboratories, and is well-suited for small series of patients of the latter.
Copyright John Libbey Eurotext 2003