Prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin III complex as markers of activation of blood coagulation in inflammatory bowel diseases.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of the present work were to assess the presence of thrombin generation in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis by using the prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and the thrombin-antithrombin III complex assays and to study the possible relationships between these markers and disease activity.


RESULTS
Prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin III complex were significantly raised in patients with Crohn's disease (n = 69) and with ulcerative colitis (n = 25) as compared with healthy controls (n = 50). In Crohn's disease these two markers of thrombin generation were correlated with the Van Hees index (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively); values were significantly different from controls even in the patient group displaying the lowest disease activity (P < 0.001). No correlation was found with tumour necrosis factor alpha and C-reactive protein; nevertheless patients with C-reactive protein less than or equal to 10 mg/l had significant lower values of prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (P < 0.03). In ulcerative colitis prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin III complex were significantly increased by comparison with controls, were higher in patients with pancolitis and correlated with C-reactive protein (P < 0.002 and P < 0.009, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin III complex are increased in inflammatory bowel diseases and suggest that thrombin generation might be an early event in their pathogenesis.
Chamouard
P
P
Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie et d'Assistance Nutritive, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France.
Grunebaum
L
L
Wiesel
M L
ML
Frey
P L
PL
Wittersheim
C
C
Sapin
R
R
Baumann
R
R
Cazenave
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000378:metabolism; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism*; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D018180:Thrombomodulin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; C045879:prothrombin fragment 1.2; D000990:Antithrombin III; D011516:Prothrombin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases