| A bleeding disorder associated with a decreased ability to form blood clots resulting in increased risk of epistaxis, heavy or prolonged bleeding following minor injury or surgery, ecchymosis and menorrhagia. The disease can be caused by mutations in the GP6 gene, leading to the production of no glycoprotein VI (GPVI) protein, an abnormally short, nonfunctional GPVI protein; or a protein that is less able to bind to collagen. Without GPVI binding to collagen, platelets cannot come together efficiently to form a clot. The disease may also be acquired rather than inherited and such cases are associated with autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). |
