title: Characteristics of vasospastic angina with exercised-induced ischemia--analysis of parameters of hemostasis and fibrinolysis.
abstract: To characterize the vasospastic angina patients with exercise-induced ischemia, we measured hemostasis (platelet factor 4; PF4, fibrinopeptide A; FPA) and fibrinolytic parameters (tissue plasminogen activator antigen; t-PA, free plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen; free PAI-1) in 15 normal subjects and 33 vasospastic angina patients without significant coronary artery stenosis (less than 50% stenosis). All of the vasospastic angina patients began to feel chest pain within 3 months before diagnostic coronary angiography. Blood samples were obtained from all of the study patients at 8:30-9:30 am before exercise 201Tl emission computed tomography. Vasospastic angina patients were divided into 2 groups; 15 patients with exercise-induced ischemia (group 1) and 18 patients without exercise-induced ischemia (group 2). On coronary angiography, the severity of coronary artery stenosis at the site of spasm in group 1 (34 +/- 5%) was greater than that in group 2 (18 +/- 3%). Plasma FPA and PF 4 levels in group 1 were also significantly higher than those in normal subjects and group 2. Plasma t-PA and free PAI-1 levels in group 1 were significantly higher than those in normal subjects and group 2. Plasma levels of free PAI-1 group 2 were also significantly higher than those in normal subjects. The present study demonstrated that all of the patients with vasospastic angina had impaired fibrinolysis, and these patients with exercise-induced ischemia showed enhanced platelet activation, an enhanced coagulation system, and advanced atherosclerotic lesions. These results suggest that vasospastic angina with exercise-induced ischemia puts patients at increased risk for thrombus formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shizuoka General Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shugino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000788:Angina Pectoris, Variant / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies