Plasma levels of molecular markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS).
Seventy-four patients with PSS were evaluated with regard to plasma concentration of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis factors: fibrinogen (Fbg), prothrombin time (PT), active partial thromboplastin time (APTT), protein C, thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), antithrombin-III (AT-III), factor XIII (XIII) fibrinopeptide A (FPA), alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT), plasminogen (Pmg), alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor plasmin complex (PIC), alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2-PI), alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-MG), fibrinopeptide B beta 15-42 (FPB beta-15-42) and soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC), FDP (fibrin degradation product) and D-dimer. They were also evaluated with regard to platelet-derived proteins: beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), platelet factor 4 (PF4), thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6KF). In the coagulation/fibrinolysis systems high plasma levels of TAT, AT-III, FPA, alpha 2-MG and FPB beta 15-42 could be demonstrated in more than 50% of total PSS patients. There was no statistical correlation between those of TAT and AT-III. Plasma levels of PIC, D-dimer, FDP and SFMC were not always high. There was no statistical correlation between those of TAT and PIC. These data lead us to consider that alpha 2-MG may play an important role for inhibiting PIC, which accelerates the conversion from fibrin into FDP. Subsequently, there were high plasma levels of FPB beta 15-42 converted from fibrin monomer. These data seem to be indicative of an involvement of coagulation and platelet disorder in PSS. These platelet-vessel system disorders might be closely related to the pathophysiology of PSS.
Maeda
M
M
Department of Dermatology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kachi
H
H
Mori
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000276:immunology*; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
D015415:Biomarkers