Circulating tissue factor procoagulant activity is elevated in stable moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Published in: Thrombosis research Vol. 124; no. 3; pp. 259 - 261
• Main Authors: Vaidyula, Vijender Reddy, Criner, Gerard J., Grabianowski, Carla, Rao, A. Koneti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2009
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Factor VII; Factor VIII; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - blood; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Thromboplastin - analysis; Thrombotic Disease; Tissue Factor; Tissue Factor; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Thrombotic Disease; Factor VIII; Factor VII
• ISSN: 0049-3848; 1879-2472; 1879-2472
• DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2008.12.030

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have increased risk for cardiovascular mortality and venous thromboembolism. Tissue factor (TF) is the physiological initiating mechanism for blood coagulation and is pro-inflammatory. We have studied circulating blood-borne TF-procoagulant activity (TF-PCA), plasma coagulation factors (F) VIIa and FVIII, and thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes in 11 stable, moderate-severe COPD patients, 10 free of exacerbation for > 3 weeks. TF-PCA was increased in COPD patients (52.3 ± 5.6 U/ml, (SE)) compared to control subjects (20.7 ± 1.5, n = 45, p < 0.0001). TAT levels were increased (COPD patients: 2.99 ± 0.65 ug/l; control subjects: 1.31 ± 0.13, n = 53, p < 0.0001), indicating enhanced thrombin generation. Plasma FVIIa (the activated form of FVII) was higher in COPD (83 ± 11 mU/ml; controls, 64 ± 5 mU/ml, n = 20) but did not reach statistical significance. Plasma FVIIc and FVIII were not increased. TF-PCA levels were inversely related to plasma FVIIa (r = - 0.80, p = 0.003) and FVIIc (r = - 0.76, p = 0.007). Blood-borne TF-PCA is elevated and constitutes a prothrombotic and proinflammatory state in stable but moderate-severe COPD, and may contribute to the increased risk for vascular events.