title: Fibrin gel network characteristics and coronary heart disease: relations to plasma fibrinogen concentration, acute phase protein, serum lipoproteins and coronary atherosclerosis.
abstract: The native fibrin gel structure formed in vitro from plasma samples was examined by liquid permeation of the hydrated fibrin gel networks in 18 men who had suffered a myocardial infarction before the age of 45 years and in 20 control subjects. Patients with an elevated plasma fibrinogen concentration had a considerably lower fibrin gel porosity (permeability coefficient, Ks) compared with patients with a normal plasma fibrinogen level and with controls. The calculated fiber mass-length ratio of the fibrin gel networks was decreased in both patient groups. Gel porosity differed markedly between individuals at a given plasma fibrinogen concentration. Fairly strong inverse correlations were found between plasma orosomucoid level on the one hand and Ks (r = -0.617, p less than 0.01) or fiber mass-length ratio (r = -0.499, p less than 0.05) on the other. The low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration also correlated inversely with Ks (r = -0.471, p less than 0.05) and fiber mass-length ratio (r = -0.522, p less than 0.05). Significant inverse relations, which were independent of plasma fibrinogen and lipoprotein concentrations, were detected between Ks (r = -0.519, p less than 0.05) and calculated fiber mass-length ratio (r = -0.723, p less than 0.001) and number and severity of coronary artery stenoses determined by angiography. A proneness to formation of tight, rigid and space-filling fibrin network structures with small pores thus appears to be associated with premature coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Blood Coagulation, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fatah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamsten
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blombäck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blombäck
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D005782:Gels; D008074:Lipoproteins; D011108:Polymers; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen