Thromb Haemost 1999; 81(04): 543-546
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1614521
Rapid Communication
Schattauer GmbH

Haemostatic Abnormalities, Cardiac Involvement and Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor Levels in X-linked Dystrophic Patients

Authors

  • Ettore Porreca

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Maria Domenica Guglielmi

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Antonino Uncini

    2   Center of Neuromuscular Disease, Medical School, Italy
  • Patrizia Di Gregorio

    3   Blood Transfusion Service, University of Chieti, Medical School, Italy
  • Antonio Angelini

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Concetta Di Febbo

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Sante Donato Pierdomenico

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Giovanna Baccante

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
  • Franco Cuccurullo

    1   From the Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

Received 03 September 1998

Accepted after revision 10 December 1998

Publication Date:
09 December 2017 (online)

Summary

Left ventricular thrombosis and systemic emboli have been demonstrated to complicate cardiomyopathy in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD, BMD). We investigated plasma levels of pro-thrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) and circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a pro-coagulant cytokine that has been shown to be elevated in patients with depressed cardiac function, in 20 patients with DMD and 12 patients with BMD as compared with 30 age-matched control subjects. Significantly elevated levels of F1+2 (DMD: 1.4 ± 0.8 nmol/l; BMD: 1.8 ± 0.8 nmol/l vs. controls: 0.7 ± 0.2 nmol/l, p <0.01 and p <0.001, respectively), TAT complexes (DMD: 4.7 ± 2.7 αg/l, BMD: 5 ± 2.3 αg/l vs. controls: 1.6 ± 0.5 αg/l, p <0.001) and TNF-α (54 ± 9 vs. 25 ± 7 pg/ml, p <0.001) were observed in patients with the dystrophic disease compared to control subjects. A significantly negative correlation was also found between F1+2 and TAT complexes and left ventricular ejection fraction (r = –0.65, p <0.0001; r = –0.80, p <0.0001, respectively) and a positive correlation between F1+2 and TAT complexes and serum TNF-α levels (r = 0.67, p <0.0001; r = 0.70, p <0.0001, respectively). Our results indicate a hypercoagulable state in X-linked dystrophic patients. A possible relationship between haemostatic activation, left ventricular dysfunction and TNF-α system upregulation may be suggested.