We evaluated systemic alterations to the blood coagulation system that occur during a coronary thrombotic event. Peripheral blood coagulation in patients with acute coronary thrombosis was compared with that in people with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Blood coagulation and platelet activation at the microvascular injury site were assessed using immunochemistry in 28 nonanticoagulated patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) versus 28 stable CAD patients matched for age, sex, risk factors, and medications. AMI was associated with increased maximum rates of thrombin-antithrombin complex generation (by 93.8%; P < .001), thrombin Bchain formation (by 57.1%; P < .001), prothrombin consumption (by 27.9%; P ؍ .012), fibrinogen consumption (by 27.0%; P ؍ .02), factor (f) Va light chain generation (by 44.2%; P ؍ .003), and accelerated fVa inactivation (by 76.1%; P < .001), and with enhanced release of platelet-derived soluble CD40 ligand (by 44.4%; P < .001). FVa heavy chain availability was similar in both groups because of enhanced formation and
IntroductionAfter vascular injury, blood clotting is initiated when plasma factor (f) VIIa gains access to tissue factor (Tf). The resulting complex activates the plasma zymogens fIX and fX. 1 Factor Xa activates small amounts of thrombin, which activates platelets, and the procofactors fV and fVIII to their respective active forms. 2 These reactions result in the formation of the intrinsic fXase (fVIIIa-fIXa) and prothrombinase (fVa-fXa) on the activated platelet surface. 3 The major bolus of thrombin formed by the prothrombinase complex is largely responsible for the ultimate hemostatic process. 4 A potent, synergistic inhibitory system principally composed of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), antithrombin (AT), and the thrombin-thrombomodulin (Tm)-catalyzed dynamic protein C (PC) system opposes thrombin generation. 5,6 The formation of fVa and its regulation by activated protein C (APC) are key processes for maintaining blood homeostasis. The fV activation process involves sequential cleavages to first produce a heavy chain (1-709) and subsequently a light chain resulting in the active cofactor. 7 The PC system inactivates fVa in a kinetically controlled series of cleavage reactions in which APC cleaves the heavy chain of fVa at 2 locations (R506 and R306); the resulting fVai can no longer function in the coagulation system. 8,9 The balance between activation and inactivation of fV is critical to the synergistic control of the coagulation process. 10 The activation of the Tf coagulation pathway appears to be central in arterial and venous thrombosis. 11 A major clinical manifestation of arterial thrombosis is represented by the acute coronary syndromes (ACS), which result from platelet-rich thrombus formation on the surface of ruptured or eroded atheromatosus plaque in the coronary artery. 12 Typical procoagulant abnormalities in ACS are increased circulating thrombin marker levels, such as prothrombin fragment 1.2 (F1.2) or thrombin-antithrombi...