New Study Finds Blood Clots Are Rare in People With Rare Bleeding Disorders
August 03, 2026
A newly published study in Thrombosis Journal has provided one of the largest analyses to date examining the risk of thrombosis, or blood clots, in people living with rare bleeding disorders.
The retrospective study evaluated 1,251 patients with a variety of rare bleeding disorders, including 62 individuals with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia (GT), to better understand how often thrombotic events occur and under what circumstances.
What Did the Study Find?
Among the 1,251 patients included in the study, only 12 individuals (0.96%) experienced an imaging-confirmed blood clot during their lifetime.
All of the reported events were venous thromboses, most commonly:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT)
When researchers excluded cases associated with pregnancy, surgery, and exposure to prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), the overall rate decreased to 0.48%.
The authors concluded that thrombotic events in rare bleeding disorders appear to be uncommon and are most often associated with well-recognized risk factors rather than the bleeding disorder itself.
Findings Related to Glanzmann Thrombasthenia
The study included 62 patients with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia.
No thrombotic events were reported among those individuals during the study period. The authors note that this should not be interpreted as proof that thrombosis cannot occur in GT, but rather that none were observed in this cohort.
A Good Example of Balanced Research
One aspect of this publication that stands out is its balanced approach.
Rather than making broad claims or promoting specific treatment strategies, the authors repeatedly acknowledge the limitations of their work. They emphasize that their findings come from a retrospective, single-center study and that larger prospective studies are still needed to better understand thrombotic risk in people with rare bleeding disorders.
The study also reports:
- No industry funding.
- No competing interests declared by the authors.
- Individualized treatment decisions rather than recommendations favoring any specific therapy or manufacturer.
Why This Matters
As new treatments continue to be developed for rare diseases, patients and families deserve research that prioritizes scientific accuracy over marketing.
Independent, transparent studies help patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers better understand both the benefits and limitations of available evidence. They also foster informed conversations and shared decision-making based on data rather than assumptions.
We hope future research continues to follow this example by presenting findings objectively, clearly discussing uncertainty, and remaining focused on improving care for people living with rare bleeding disorders.