QJM Advance Access originally published online on April 4, 2006
QJM 2006 99(5):327-334; doi:10.1093/qjmed/hcl037
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Life expectancy in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
1From the Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, 2Department of Statistical Sciences, 3Geriatrics-MIDIM, and 4Unit of Medical Genetics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
Address correspondence to Professor C. Sabbà, Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. email: c.sabba{at}dimimp.uniba.it
Received 24 November 2005 and in revised form 3 February 2006
Background: There are few data on life expectancy in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a disorder with life-threatening complications.
Methods: Seventy HHT patients provided data on age and age at death of their HHT-affected parent, which was compared with that of the parent's non-affected partner.
Results: At the time of the study, 40 HHT parents (57.1%) vs. 36 (51.4%) non-HHT parents had died (p = 0.404). Median age at death was lower in HHT vs. non-HHT parents (63.2 vs. 70.0 years, respectively). The mortality of HHT parents showed an early peak in the under 50s and a late peak at 6079 years. HHT was the main risk factor influencing life expectancy after 30 years (p < 0.05). No differences in survival probability were found in HHT patients with respect to sex (p = 0.37), or ENG vs. ALK-1 genotype (p < 0.9).
Discussion: Life expectancy appears to be significantly lower in HHT patients than in their partners. Prevention of HHT complications with screening programs could increase life expectancy.