Large‐scale screening for factor V Leiden (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations in Greek population

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To provide a fair estimate of the prevalence of factor V Leiden (FVL) (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations in the Greek population. METHODS: We genotyped a representative sample of 974 apparently healthy Greek adults by the method of real‐time PCR and we calculated the allele frequencies of factor V Leiden (FVL) (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and MTHFR (C677T) mutations. In addition, we determined the frequency of co‐occurrence of FVL (1691A) and prothrombin (20210A), FVL (1691A) and MTHFR (677T), prothrombin (20210A) and MTHFR (677T) mutations. RESULTS: Τhe career frequencies of FVL (1691A), prothrombin (20210A), and MTHFR (677T) alleles were 7.5%, 4.5%, and 49.3% while the allele frequencies were 4%, 2.25%, and 39.5%, respectively. The coexistence of the allele frequencies combinations of two, FVL (1691A) and Prothrombin (20210A), FVL (1691A) and MTHFR (677T), prothrombin (20210A) and MTHFR (677T) was found in 1 (0.9%), 29 (3.5%), and 22 (3%) samples, respectively. Triple heterozygous carriers were not found. CONCLUSION: Allele frequencies of the two (FVL and MTHFR) mutations are higher compared with published data. The large sample size of our study enhances the validity of our results and suggests a biological affinity of Greek population with Southern Italian populations.