title: Association of variables of coagulation, fibrinolysis and acute-phase with atherosclerosis in coronary and peripheral arteries and those arteries supplying the brain.
abstract: We investigated the vessel status of coronary and peripheral arteries and those arteries supplying the brain in 929 consecutive male patients admitted to a coronary rehabilitation unit. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was scored using coronary angiography. Changes in extracranial brain vessels and manifest cerebrovascular disease (CVD) were determined by B-mode ultrasound and Doppler examination. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was diagnosed using base-line and stress oscillography. We assessed variables of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and the acute phase response. There was a significant increase in plasma fibrinogen, plasminogen, d-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP) with increasing severity of coronary heart disease. Compared to men with unaffected arteries, men with 3 diseased coronary arteries had 58% greater d-dimer concentrations. Patients with CVD and PAD, respectively, also had significantly higher fibrinogen, d-dimer and CRP concentrations. We did not find an association between plasminogen activator inhibitor activity and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. In conclusion, plasma fibrinogen, d-dimer and CRP concentrations were significantly related to atherosclerosis in the coronary, peripheral and extracranial brain arteries.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schönfeld
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Assmann
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein