Congenital hemoglobin disorders typically present as hemolytic anemia, but there are also numerous reports of thrombotic complications in these diseases, suggesting an associated hypercoagulative state. In hemoglobin Köln, the most common type of unstable hemoglobinopathy worldwide, there have not been many reports of such thrombotic phenomena. We herein describe the case of a patient with hemoglobin Köln demonstrating acute cerebral infarction. His father, who also had hemolytic anemia, presumably hemoglobin Köln, had a history of cerebral infarction. This case suggests that hemoglobin Köln, among other congenital hemoglobin disorders, may be a precipitating factor of thrombotic events.
Keywords: Hemoglobin Köln; congenital hemoglobin disorder; embolic stroke of unknown origin; unstable hemoglobinopathy.