What would a patient with factor V deficiency expect in their coagulation profile?

A patient with factor V deficiency would exhibit a prolonged prothrombin time (PT) as well as a prolonged partial thromboplastin time (PTT) in their coagulation profile. This is due to the fact that factor V is an essential component in the coagulation cascade that plays a role in both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of coagulation.

In the intrinsic pathway, factor V acts as a cofactor to factor Xa in the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, which is crucial for the clotting process. Therefore, a deficiency in factor V disrupts this pathway, leading to a prolonged PTT. Similarly, factor V is involved in the extrinsic pathway, cooperating with tissue factor to initiate the coagulation process, which is reflected by a prolonged PT as well.

The result is that a deficiency in factor V ultimately affects both PT and PTT, causing them to be prolonged. Thus, the correct expectation for a patient with factor V deficiency is that both the prothrombin time and the partial thromboplastin time would demonstrate prolongation, confirming the reasoning behind the selection of the correct answer.