title: Fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor and susceptibility vessel sign on T2*-weighted gradient echo imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the relationship between von Willebrand factor (vWF), fibrin monomers (FM), fibrinogen baseline levels and the presence of susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on T2*-weighted gradient echo imaging in acute ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  SVS was assessed at admission using T2*-weighted GRE. Plasmatic levels of vWF, FM and fibrinogen were evaluated before the initiation of intravenous thrombolysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four patients were enrolled in this study. SVS was noted in 26 patients. Univariate analysis revealed that vWF >160% (p = 0.02) and fibrinogen >4 g/l (p = 0.03) were associated with a significant decrease in the likelihood of SVS. Multivariate analysis confirmed that higher levels of vWF or fibrinogen predicted the absence of SVS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased activity of vWF may promote a fibrin-platelet recruitment mainly contributing to the absence of (SVS).
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Urgences Cerebrovasculaires, Hôpital Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon CREATIS, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farghali
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanss
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berthiller
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Derex
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mechtouff
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritzenthaler
authors.forename: Tae-Hee
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berthezene
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ffrench
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nighoghossian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen