No clinical study data is present in the provided text, which consists only of journal editorial board information.
Are plasma levels of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and acute-phase proteins associated with the severity of atherosclerosis in multiple vascular beds?
Elevated levels of plasma fibrinogen, d-dimer, and CRP are significantly associated with the severity of atherosclerosis across coronary, peripheral, and extracranial brain arteries.
We investigated the vessel status of coronary and peripheral arteries and those arteries supplying the brain in 929 consecutive male patients admitted to a coronary rehabilitation unit. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was scored using coronary angiography. Changes in extracranial brain vessels and manifest cerebrovascular disease (CVD) were determined by B-mode ultrasound and Doppler examination. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was diagnosed using base-line and stress oscillography. We assessed variables of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and the acute phase response. There was a significant increase in plasma fibrinogen, plasminogen, d-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP) with increasing severity of coronary heart disease. Compared to men with unaffected arteries, men with 3 diseased coronary arteries had 58% greater d-dimer concentrations. Patients with CVD and PAD, respectively, also had significantly higher fibrinogen, d-dimer and CRP concentrations. We did not find an association between plasminogen activator inhibitor activity and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. In conclusion, plasma fibrinogen, d-dimer and CRP concentrations were significantly related to atherosclerosis in the coronary, peripheral and extracranial brain arteries.
Heinrich et al. (1995) studied this question. No clinical study data is present in the provided text, which consists only of journal editorial board information.