A case of pulmonary thromboembolism in thalassemia intermedia: are these patients at risk for thrombotic events?

We describe a case of pulmonary thromboembolism in a 48-year-old woman with thalassemia intermedia and no other risk factors. Multiple bilateral defects were detected by perfusion lung scan. No sources of emboli were detected, despite extensive evaluation. We suggest that a chronic hypercoagulable state due to multiple coagulation alterations might be a cause of thromboembolic events in thalassemia intermedia patients, even when no other risk factors are present.