The hormonal influence on the haemostatic system and the risk of thrombosis

At present, thrombosis is considered as a "multi-causal" disease in which multiple genetic and environmental elements coincide to push over the so called ‘thrombotic threshold’. An individual thromboembolic risk factor may therefore be ‘the drop that makes the cup run over’. Such a risk factor may become clinically relevant, especially if treatable. This is true for endocrine disorders. This thesis brings further insights into the intriguing link between the hormonal and haemostatic system. By focussing on the thyroid hormone, cortisol and prolactin, we aimed to unravel both the underlying mechanisms by which the hormones affect the haemostatic system, and the clinical thrombotic manifestations.