title: Beneficial effect of cigarette smoking cessation on fibrin clot properties.
abstract: To examine the associations between cigarette smoking and preferable clot properties. Plasma fibrin clots from 21 randomly selected current smokers (n = 7), former smokers (n = 7) and non-smokers (n = 7) were analyzed, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With the use of the turbidimetric clotting and lysis assay in plasma, the maximum absorbance (MaxAbs(C), MaxAbs(L)) was measured and lysis time (Lys(50%)) was calculated. Smoking cessation significantly influenced fibrin fiber branching and density. Median fiber diameter was not changed. Lys(50%) was the highest in current smokers and was reduced in former smokers to the non-smoker level (2120 ± 385 versus 1771 ± 122 and 1724 ± 272 s; P = 0.04). Smoking cessation improves fibrin clot architecture which results in the lesser resistance to lysis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Research, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland. estepien@cm-uj.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stępień
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miszalski-Jamka
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kapusta
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tylko
authors.forename: Mieczysław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasowicz
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016540:Smoking Cessation
chemical_list: D005337:Fibrin