ProCGlobal and endogenous thrombin potential during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state. We evaluated global markers of coagulation activation, ProCGlobal (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Eschborn, Germany) and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), in pregnant women with and without low-molecular-weight (LMW) heparin prophylaxis.


METHODS
We prospectively followed 113 healthy women and 61 women receiving LMW heparin prophylaxis throughout pregnancy. ProCGlobal and ETP were measured in venous blood during the first, second, and third trimester.


RESULTS
ProCGlobal decreased significantly throughout pregnancy in all women and was lower in anticoagulated women (P < .001 for all comparisons). ETP levels remained unchanged until the third trimester and then significantly decreased in all women. ETP was higher in anticoagulated women than in healthy women at all time points.


CONCLUSIONS
ProCGlobal levels decrease throughout pregnancy. In pregnant women at high thrombotic risk, coagulation activation reflected by low ProCGlobal and high ETP levels is substantial despite LMW heparin prophylaxis.
Hron
Gregor
G
Division of Hematology and Hemostasis, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, Austria.
Kyrle
Paul A
PA
Kaider
Alexandra
A
Philipp
Karl
K
Pabinger
Ingrid
I
Kollars
Marietta
M
Eichinger
Sabine
S
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011486:Protein C / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D011486:Protein C; D013917:Thrombin