Summary
FPA level, fibrinogen turnover rate, and fibrinolytic activity were studied on 18
patients with malignant disease. It was found that the FPA levels were significantly
elevated and were correlated with fibrinogen turnover rate (r=0.74, p<0.001) and FDP
(r = 0.58, p<0.02). Estimated FPA turnover rate was also correlated with fibrinogen
turnover rate (r = 0.70, p<0.001). These results suggest that fibrinogen catabolism
in patients with malignant disease is related with thrombin proteolysis. However,
ratios of 1/2 FPA turnover rate to fibrinogen turnover rate suggest that intravascular
thrombin proteolysis is not the major determinant of fibrinogen catabolism. It is
suspected that extravascular thrombin proteolysis is responsible for the elevation
of plasma FPA level which is correlated with acceleration of fibrinogen catabolism.
Keywords
Fibrinopeptide A - Fibrinogen kinetics - Malignant disease - Thrombin proteolysis
