title: Is increased thrombin activation in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms dependent on area or volume of aneurysm thrombus mass?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does thrombin activation seen in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) relate to the thrombus surface area or volume within the aneurysm?
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 130 patients with AAA were analyzed regarding levels of the complex between activated protein C-protein C inhibitor (APC-PCI) and AAA morphology. Analysis of APC-PCI complex was made using a sandwich immunofluorometric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased APC-PCI concentrations were seen in patients with AAA (0.44 microg/L; P < .001 compared with controls). The correlations of APC-PCI values were r = .13, P = .13 for aneurysm size, r = .08, P = .35 for thrombus surface area, and r = .13, P = .14 for thrombus volume. APC-PCI values elevated to 0.45 microg/L in 10 patients with AAA having no or very little thrombus mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disappointingly, no correlation was found between thrombus surface area or volume and levels of the APC-PCI complex. Mechanisms other than the AAA-sac thrombus must be evaluated as cause of thrombin activation in patients with AAA.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Vascular Diseases and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital MAS, Malmö, Sweden. tilokoelbel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kölbel
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Donath
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strandberg
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flondell-Sité
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kühme
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gottsäter
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindblad
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013917:Thrombin / Q000502:physiology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D013917:Thrombin