SummaryIn 107 asymptomatic and untreated patients with inherited syndromes associated with thrombophilia (antithrombin III, protein C and protein S deficiencies), we compared in parallel two plasma peptides which reflect activation of the common coagulation pathway: the prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1+2) and fibrinopeptide A (FPA). Both F1+2 and FPA were measured with simple, commercially available ELISA methods. High levels of F1+2 or FPA were found in about one fourth of the patients as a whole. When patients were divided according to the type of inherited thrombophilie syndrome, it appeared that F1+2 was more frequently elevated in protein C and protein S deficiencies than in antithrombin deficiency; and that, in general, it was no more frequently elevated than FPA. Although our data confirm the existence of a procoagulant imbalance in inherited thrombophilie syndromes due to defects of natural anticoagulant proteins, they do not confirm that such imbalance can be more frequently diagnosed by measuring F1+2 levels, particularly in patients with antithrombin deficiency.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.