It is \yell e\tabliahecl tlixt aoiiic coagul:ition factors (fiI)i-iii(igcii. protliroinbin, Factor Scand J Clin Lab Invest Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Monash University on 11/02/14 For personal use only. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Monash University on 11/02/14 For personal use only.

It is well known that several coagulation factors increase in concentration in the blood during pregnancy (Pechet and Alexander, 1961; Kasper, Hogg, Aggeler and Stone, 1964), and changes in the fibrinolytic system have also been described (Brakman and Astrup, 1963). Some coagulation factors and components of the fibrinolytic system are reported to be influenced by male and female hormones (Tagnon, Schulman, Whitmore and Leons, 1953). Mixtures of progestational and oestrogenic hormones influence coagulation and fibrinolysis in blood (Brakman and Astrup, 1964a; Hougie, Rutherford, Banks and Coburn, 1965). An increase in fibrinolytic activity of the circulating blood during menstruation has been reported by some authors, though others have been unable to confirm this. It is often difficult to evaluate these results because inaccurate or insensitive assay methods have been used. The present paper attempts to establish carefully assayed, normal values of certain parameters of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in peripheral blood from men and women in order to compare them and to elucidate their possible fluctuations during menstruation. Such data are needed for establishing the normal patterns of coagulation and fibrinolysis, and in order to evaluate the possible influence of male and female hormones on these patterns. The present report provides a baseline for further studies of coagulation and fibrinolysis in blood.

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Scand J Clin Lab Invest Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Queen's University on 12/27/14For personal use only.

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