A Quest to Find the Aetiology of Pulmonary Embolism Beyond the Common: A Case of Dyshypofibrinogenemia Presenting as Pulmonary Embolism

Cureus. 2023 Apr 16;15(4):e37647. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37647. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Hypodysfibrinogenemia-related thromboembolic disorder is a rarely encountered clinical entity. We present such a case of a 34-year-old lady with no known co-morbidities presenting to the accident and emergency unit with left-sided pleuritic chest pain associated with non-productive cough and breathlessness. Laboratory tests revealed fibrinogen level of 0.42 g/l (1.5-4g/l) with prolonged prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) along with elevated d-dimer, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and troponin. CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) found bilateral pulmonary embolism with right heart strain. Functional/antigenic fibrinogen ratio was 0.38. Genetic testing eventually revealed a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 8-p.1055G>C; p.Cys352Ser in the sequencing of the fibrinogen gene FGG (gamma chain) confirming the diagnosis of dyshypofibrinogenemia. She was treated with anticoagulants with fibrinogen replacement therapy and later discharged on apixaban.

Keywords: acute pulmonary embolism; congenital fibrinogen disorder; dyshypofibrinogenemia; hypodysfibrinogenemia; pulmonary embolism (pe).

Publication types

  • Case Reports