Thrombin generation and venous thromboembolism.
Venous thromboembolism is a chronic and potential fatal disease. Determination of recurrence risk is time-consuming and costly, and sometimes not feasible: many patients carry more than one risk factor, the relevance of some factors with regard to risk of recurrence is unknown, and existence of thus far unknown risk factors must be considered. A laboratory assay that measures multifactorial thrombophilia would be useful to identify patients at risk of thrombosis. The process of thrombin generation is the central event of the hemostatic process. Thrombin generation is increased in patients at risk of thrombosis including those with antithrombin deficiency or those who are taking hormonal contraceptives. Risk of first and recurrent venous thrombosis is higher in patients with increased thrombin generation. Thus, by use of a simple global marker of coagulation stratification of patients according to their risk of thrombosis is possible. Future studies are needed to improve the management of patients with VTE and increased thrombin generation.
Eichinger
S
S
Univ. Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Medizinische Universität Wien, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Wien, Osterreich. sabine.eichinger@meduniwien.ac.at
D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D013917:Thrombin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
D013917:Thrombin