**3.3 Prothrombotic risk factors**

Assessment of prothrombotic risk factors is by no means suitable for diagnosing TE. It may possibly help to explain unusual manifestations of TE; however, the predictive power concerning outcome, thereby providing a basis for therapeutic and prophylactic decisions is still a matter of ongoing studies and debate. Interpretation of laboratory data is strongly age dependent since normal ranges may differ considerably between newborns, young children and adolescents.
