Effects of long travels in sitting position in elderly volunteers on biological markers of coagulation activation and fibrinolysis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether long travel in sitting position is associated with an increase of coagulation activation and/or a decrease of fibrinolytic activity.


METHODS
Comparison of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters before and after two pleasure trips by bus organized in winter period (600 km in 8 hours) and in summer period (1200 km in 16 hours).


METHODS
31 and 23 healthy elder volunteers for the winter and the summer trip respectively. Nine other elder volunteers were selected as a control group for the winter study.


METHODS
prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), thrombin-antithrombin III (TAT), D-dimers (D-D), factor VII activated, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasma albumin.


RESULTS
A significant difference before and after the travel was only observed for TAT in the summer period. However all values of TAT were in the normal range. No volunteer presented with thromboembolic disease during the month following the travel.


CONCLUSIONS
In the condition of our study, long travel in sitting position does not lead to an enhanced procoagulant state for elderly with varicose veins. These results suggest that there is no biological support to propose heparin prophylactic therapy for the elderly with varicose veins wishing to travel by bus.
Tardy
B
B
Service d'Urgences Médicales, C.H.R.U. Saint-Etienne, France.
Tardy-Poncet
B
B
Bara
L
L
Laporte-Simitsidis
S
S
Rascle
F
F
Samama
M M
MM
Guyotat
D
D
Bertrand
J C
JC
D000368:Aged; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D014195:Travel