Fibrin formation and degradation in patients with arteriosclerotic disease.

Abstract

There is evidence of enhanced thrombin formation in patients with PAD compared with an age- and sex-matched control group without clinical and sonographic evidence of arteriosclerosis. The thrombin formed, however, appears to be almost completely neutralized by antithrombin III. No direct evidence of fibrin formation was obtained, since the FPA concentrations were not different. In the patients with PAD, the higher concentrations of D-dimers are indicative of in vivo fibrinolysis. Thus, some fibrin formation must be postulated to occur in patients with arteriosclerosis.

Physical Exertion Induces Thrombin Formation and Fibrin Degradation in Patients With Peripheral Atherosclerosis

“…17,18 The effect of exercise on hemostasis in patients with peripheral arterial disease has also been studied previously. 19 In contrast to our results, the PAOD patients in the study by Herren et al 19 showed enhanced thrombin formation (TAT) at rest compared with the age-and sex-matched healthy control group. Differences between the study populations may explain this dissimilarity: PAOD in the patients in the study by Herren et al 19 was more severe than in our patient group; at the same time, the share of current smokers and hypertensives among their patients was significantly higher than in their control group.…”

“…19 In contrast to our results, the PAOD patients in the study by Herren et al 19 showed enhanced thrombin formation (TAT) at rest compared with the age-and sex-matched healthy control group. Differences between the study populations may explain this dissimilarity: PAOD in the patients in the study by Herren et al 19 was more severe than in our patient group; at the same time, the share of current smokers and hypertensives among their patients was significantly higher than in their control group. Additionally, Herren et al 19 did not see any elevation of D-dimer or TAT after exercise, a result that also differed from ours.…”

“…Differences between the study populations may explain this dissimilarity: PAOD in the patients in the study by Herren et al 19 was more severe than in our patient group; at the same time, the share of current smokers and hypertensives among their patients was significantly higher than in their control group. Additionally, Herren et al 19 did not see any elevation of D-dimer or TAT after exercise, a result that also differed from ours. Direct comparisons cannot be made, however, because the patient population differed somewhat from ours, and the extent of their tested exercise remained unreported.…”

“…[17][18][19] Increased PAI-1 is associated with all forms of atherothrombosis, 20 -22 and continuous fibrin deposition on the atherosclerotic vessel wall appears to stimulate endogenous fibrinolysis, reflected in elevated t-PA levels. 17 We also found that there was no difference between the patients and healthy age-, sex-, medication-, and cardiovascular risk factor-matched control subjects in resting levels of t-PA to PAI-1 Ag ratio, t-PA-activity, or PAP.…”

Physical Activity Status and Adverse Age-Related Differences in Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Factors in Women

“…Our finding of higher plasma fibrin D-dimer levels in the sedentary postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women is consistent with previous studies 7,22 and supports the premise of increased fibrin formation and deposition with age. 45,46 An original finding of the present study, however, was that regular physical activity does not appear to influence the effect of age on plasma fibrin D-dimer levels. Although the physically active postmenopausal women demonstrated lower absolute plasma fibrin D-dimer levels than their sedentary age-matched peers, they had significantly higher fibrin D-dimer levels than their younger counterparts.…”