fibrin and Antithrombin-III-Deficiency

To critically review the literature regarding inherited thrombophilia and recurrent fetal loss.. English-language literature review.. Women who experienced repeated pregnancy wastage.. Aspirin, glucocorticoids, heparin, and IV immunoglobulin for the prevention of miscarriage.. Live birth, miscarriage, preeclampsia, and pregnancy loss.. Recurrent fetal loss and other placental vascular pathologies of pregnancy have long been associated with antiphospholipid syndrome, an acquired autoimmune thrombophilic state. The number of known heritable thrombophilic disorders has grown rapidly in recent years with the identification of activated protein C resistance, factor V Leiden mutation, and hyperhomocysteinemia as major causes of thrombosis. Data accumulated over the past 2 years suggest that heritable thrombophilia is associated with an increased risk of fetal loss and preeclampsia. The present review discusses potential pathogenetic mechanisms for this association and evaluates reported therapeutic regimens for the prevention of fetal loss in women with thrombophilia.. Placental thrombosis may be the final common pathophysiologic pathway in most women with habitual abortions and repeated pregnancy wastage. Prophylactic antithrombotic therapy is indicated in women with heritable thrombophilia and antiphospholipid syndrome and probably is more effective than the previously used modalities of prednisone, aspirin, and IV immunoglobulin.

Topics: Abortion, Habitual; Antiphospholipid Syndrome; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Female; Fibrin; Humans; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Pregnancy; Protein C; Prothrombin; Thrombophilia

Topics: Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Capillaries; Coronary Disease; Coronary Vessels; Endocardium; Endothelial Growth Factors; Fibrin; Follow-Up Studies; Graft Survival; Heart Transplantation; Humans; Incidence; Lymphokines; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Prognosis; Tissue Plasminogen Activator; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is an acute lung injury believed to result primarily from surfactant deficiency in the immature lung. Although surfactant replacement therapy has improved the outcome of this disease, RDS remains a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Preliminary experimental evidence suggests that unopposed intravascular thrombin activity may contribute to the progression of RDS by promoting high permeability pulmonary oedema and pulmonary hypertension. In the extravascular lung compartment, polymerizing fibrin may inhibit surfactant function. In addition, interstitial and alveolar thrombin formation and resulting fibrin deposition may contribute to the development of chronic lung disease through amplification of inflammation and fibrosis. There is good evidence that extravascular coagulation occurs during the course of RDS. Fibrin is a major component of the hyaline membranes, which are a hallmark of acute lung injury, and which can be regarded as locally produced clots. It has been less certain whether neonatal RDS is also associated with intravascular activation of the coagulation system. Although low levels of antithrombin III (AT III) have been reported in infants with RDS, direct evidence of increased intravascular thrombin formation has been lacking. However, recently, plasma concentrations of thrombin-antithrombin III (TAT) complexes have been measured in infants with RDS and correlated with RDS severity. TAT formation was significantly increased in severe neonatal RDS, while free AT III activity was decreased. These data are consistent with increased thrombin generation and resulting AT III consumption. Therefore, to regulate thrombin activity, infants with severe RDS may benefit from replacement therapy with AT III concentrate. This hypothesis has been strengthened by experiments that have demonstrated the efficacy of thrombin inhibition in several animal models of acute lung injury. However, controlled clinical trials will be required to determine whether thrombin is just a coincidental marker of neonatal RDS, or whether unopposed thrombin activity exacerbates the disease process.

Topics: Animals; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Clinical Trials as Topic; Fibrin; Fibrinolytic Agents; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Infant, Newborn; Pulmonary Edema; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn; Thrombin

The concept of the haemostatic balance was reviewed, and its potential role in the regulation of tissue repair and the pathogenesis of thrombotic processes was surveyed. Physiological activation of coagulation appears to be dominated by effects of degenerated and injured cells of the vascular wall causing local release of thromboplastin and exposition of activating surfaces. Inhibition of coagulation impairs its progression and the non-thrombogenic nature of the normal endothelium is chiefly caused by the binding of inhibitory components (antithrombin-III, protein C) to specific receptor sites. Physiological activation of fibrinolysis appears to be triggered by and limited to the fibrin because of a specific affinity to fibrin of plasminogen and plasminogen activators. Systemic activation of fibrinolysis is prevented by primary (alpha 2-antiplasmin) and secondary (alpha 2-macroglobulin, alpha 1-antitrypsin) plasmin inhibitors. A plasminogen binding protein (histidine-rich glycoprotein), plasmin inhibitors and activator inhibitors appear to contribute to the regulation of the initial phase of fibrinolysis. A deviation from normal of the dynamic balance, regulating fibrin formation and resolution, may lead to a haemorrhagic and/or a thrombophilic state. Described were the optimization of selected methods for assessment of variables involved in the haemostatic balance. An overestimation of plasminogen concentrations in plasma may occur in patients with elevated levels of fibrinogen or fibrin degradation products, when using assays based on the activation of plasminogen by streptokinase followed by the hydrolysis of a synthetic chromogenic substrate. This source of error could be eliminated by presence of fibrinogen in excess in the plasminogen assay, thereby securing maximum stimulation of the plasminogen-streptokinase complex. The presence of cryoglobulin in plasma interferes with the assessment in euglobulins of plasminogen activator activities. Experiments indicate that tissue-type plasminogen activator adsorb cryoglobulins and that a cold-promoted activation of the factor XII-dependent proactivator system of fibrinolysis is related to the presence of cryoglobulins. Experiments supported the existence of an as yet not characterized factor XII-dependent proactivator. Strictly optimized procedures for the preparation of euglobulins for the accurate determination of plasminogen activators were recommended. The determination of plasminogen activator inhibitio

Topics: Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Blood Coagulation; Coronary Disease; Coronary Thrombosis; Cryoglobulins; Fibrin; Fibrinolysis; Heparin Cofactor II; Humans; Myocardial Infarction; Plasminogen Activators; Protein C; Protein C Deficiency; Thrombophlebitis

Topics: Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Fibrin; Humans; Mutation

Type I antithrombin deficiency is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with high risk for venous thromboembolism. Data on the association between antithrombin deficiency and arterial thromboembolism are inconsistent. We report here the case of AT deficiency in a 43-year-old man free of cardiovascular risk factors who experienced venous thromboembolism and ischemic stroke followed by two transient ischemic attacks after interruption of oral anticoagulation due to colonoscopy. DNA sequencing of the antithrombin gene revealed heterozygosity for the previously reported substitution G to A at nucleotide position 9788 in intervening sequence four. To our knowledge, this report is the first to show that this genetic abnormality can be associated with recurrent cerebrovascular ischemic events.

Topics: Adult; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Fibrin; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Mutation; Risk Factors; RNA Splice Sites

Topics: Adult; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Blood Coagulation; Codon, Nonsense; Female; Fibrin; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pedigree; Phenotype; Poland; Pregnancy; Thrombosis; Venous Thrombosis

A total of 260 consecutive patients, referred for hypercoagulable assessment, was included in this study. Four coagulation activation markers were utilized to assess these patients [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for soluble fibrin polymer (TpP), prothrombin fragment 1.2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, and D-dimer]. The mean levels of the activation markers directly correlated with the number of hypercoagulable abnormalities. The percentage of patients with increased TpP levels for each group was lower than the other activation markers. The findings indicate that activation markers reflect the number of underlying thrombophilic abnormalities. Our data suggest that there is a utility in performing a panel of coagulation activation markers to assess the thrombotic risk. The measurement of soluble fibrin polymer may be more reflective of an impending vascular event.

Topics: Activated Protein C Resistance; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antiphospholipid Syndrome; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Autoimmune Diseases; Biomarkers; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Factor V; Female; Fibrin; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; Humans; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Male; Middle Aged; Peptide Fragments; Peptide Hydrolases; Protein C Deficiency; Protein S Deficiency; Prothrombin; Risk; Solubility; Thrombophilia

We have investigated the molecular bases of familial antithrombin deficiency in eight French families. Eight mutations in the antithrombin coding exons were identified, seven of which were novel mutations. In all cases, individuals were heterozygous for the mutation. We found two small frameshift deletions in exon 3a, leading to type I deficiency. Five missense mutations in exons 3b or 5 also caused type I deficiency and their potential consequences on the antithrombin three-dimensional structure were analysed. The last mutation in exon 4 was associated with a type II 'reactive site' deficiency: a dysfunctional antithrombin that is affected in its interaction with thrombin was present in circulation.

Topics: Antithrombin III Deficiency; Binding Sites; Exons; Fibrin; Gene Deletion; Heterozygote; Humans; Mutation, Missense; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Thrombosis

To determine whether decreases in plasma antithrombin (AT) level, as seen in non-gestational acquired AT deficiency, result from a hypercoagulable state and/or liver/kidney damage, AT activity was measured in 24 uncomplicated and 30 preeclamptic women. The fifth percentile of AT levels in the normal pregnancies was used as a cut-off value to subdivide the preeclamptic patients into two groups. Markers of activated coagulation, i.e, levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), fibrin D-dimer, soluble fibrin, von Willebrand factor (vWF) and platelet counts, were determined. Indicators of hepatic or renal function, i.e. concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, urinary albumin (U-albumin) and serum albumin (S-albumin), were assayed. AT levels were lower in those with preeclampsia than in the normal pregnancy group (P < 0.01). In the group with AT levels less than the cut-off point, levels of fibrin D-dimer (P < 0.05), soluble fibrin (P < 0.05), vWF (P < 0.05), ALT (P < 0.05), AST (P < 0.05), creatinine (P < 0.01) and U-albumin (P < 0.01) were increased, whereas platelet counts (P < 0.05) and S-albumin (P < 0.05) were decreased. All patients with ALT levels > 0.46 mu kat/1, AST > 0.58 mu kat/1, S-albumin < 23 g/1 and/or U-albumin > 4.9 g/24 h had AT levels < or = cut off. AT levels correlated with vWF (rs = - 0.73, P < 0.01) and creatinine (Rs = -0.70, P < 0.01). It is suggested that in preeclampsia, acquired AT deficiency is secondary to a hypercoagulable state, and/or associated with impaired hepatic and/or renal function.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Albuminuria; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Creatinine; Female; Fibrin; Humans; Kidney; Liver; Peptide Hydrolases; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; Serum Albumin; von Willebrand Factor

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Female; Fibrin; Humans; Male; Peptide Hydrolases; Thrombin; Thrombophlebitis; Time Factors

This article deals with the clinical importance of antithrombin III (AT III) in renal disease. Patients with nephrotic syndrome demonstrates a high risk of thromboembolism. A renal AT III loss is an important pathogenetic factor in these events. Patients with serumalbumin below 2.0 g/dl are mostly endangered. In patients with acute oligoanuric renal failure low AT III-levels due to consumption were often found that lead to diminished protection against intravascular coagulation processes and can therefore contribute to progression of illness. An AT III-substitution may be of some benefit in these patients. Additionally AT III was given in patients with dialysis-dependent renal failure and low levels of AT III leading to a reduced incidence of thrombosis of the extracorporeal system. Unnecessary high doses were also avoided and a minimal heparinization could be performed more efficiently in bleeding risk patients. Furthermore, AT III-levels during renal transplantation and during organ rejection are reported.

Topics: Acute Kidney Injury; Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Female; Fibrin; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Nephrotic Syndrome; Pregnancy; Puerperal Disorders; Risk; Sepsis; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis

The dynamic haemostatic balance between blood coagulation and fibrinolysis and its influence on the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation are described. The effects of heparin and antithrombin-III are illustrated by clinical cases.

Topics: Antithrombin III; Antithrombin III Deficiency; Blood Coagulation Tests; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation; Female; Fibrin; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; Fibrinolysis; Hemostasis; Humans; Pregnancy