Biomedical subjects

M Cucuianu

Publications and source records attributed to M Cucuianu.

97 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Hemostatic balance during the acute inflammatory reaction. (II). With special reference to plasma protein C.

While plasma fibrinogen level and clotting factor VIII activity obviously increased during the acute inflammatory reaction caused by intramuscular injections of turpentine in 10 rabbits, the activity of plasma protein C, with anticoagulant and antithrombotic effects, was found to display a slight yet significant (p < 0.02) decrease. When compared to protein C activity in humans, this vitamin K-dependent serine protease was found to be lower in rabbits (52, 7% +/- 3,63 of standard human plasma) and this activity decreased to 45,8% +/- 2,80 (mean +/- SEM), 48 hours after the injection of turpentine. This slight decrease should however be interpreted in the context of other disturbances of the hemostatic balance caused by inflammation and may contribute to the intravascular deposition of fibrin.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hemostatic balance during the acute inflammatory reaction; with special reference to antithrombin III.

Inflammatory reaction caused by intramuscular injections of turpentine in 5 rabbits led to an obvious increase of not only plasma fibrinogen and factor VIII: C levels, but also of plasma antithrombin III activity, measured by a chromogenic assay as heparin cofactor. This activity rose from 80% +/- 10,8 (mean +/- SEM) before the injection to 123% +/- 6,56 48 hours later. Changes affecting plasma fibrinogen level and antithrombin II activity were much lesser in a group of 5 rabbits given small doses of intravenous endotoxin. It is considered that acute inflammation is accompanied by the setting of the hemostatic balance at a higher level.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acute phase reaction and the hemostatic balance.

Data in the literature as well as authors own observations concerning a possible relationship between the acute phase reaction and changes of the hemostatic variables, which may favour or trigger a thrombotic event, are reviewed. Acute phase reaction is usually accompanied by increased plasma levels of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor and clotting factor VIII, while endothelial cells in culture added proinflammatory cytokines were found to express tissue factor activity, to release von Willebrand factor and to increase the production of plasminogen activator inhibitor. Evidence is also provided that inflammation would lead to an increase of plasma antithrombin III while the protein C system is down regulated. It is also considered that the above-mentioned changes of hemostatic variables would favour the local deposition of fibrin and platelets while attempting to prevent an intravascular dissemination of fibrin formation.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increased plasma factor VIII:c activity in patients with unstable angina pectoris.

Plasma factor VIII:c activity was found to be significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the 17 patients with unstable angina pectoris (201% +/- 121; x +/- SD) than in the 10 healthy control subjects (97% +/- 16). Plasma fibrinogen level was also significantly (p < 0.003) higher in patients (455 mg/dl +/- 188) than in controls (260 mg/dl +/- 35) but there was no significant correlation between these two variables within the group of patients with unstable angina. No difference could be noted between plasma antithrombin III activities in patients and in controls. It is considered that the increased factor VIII:c activity in patients with unstable angina pectoris could be subsequent to the acute phase reaction induced by cytokines and/or by an enhanced adrenergic stimulation, although the possible presence of genetically-conditioned hyperactive factor VIII:c molecules can not be excluded. Since the outcome of a ruptured plaque may also depend on the systemic thrombotic propensity at the time of rupture, the presently reported findings could be pathogenically relevant.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities and serum cholesterol level in bone marrow blood.

Serum cholesterol level as well as serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were measured in 65 samples of bone marrow blood and in matched peripheral blood taken from patients with various hematological diseases. As expected, serum LDH activities were higher and serum total cholesterol levels were lower in the bone marrow blood than in the blood taken from the cubital vein. More interestingly, an important increase of heat-labile ALP, but not of serum GGT, was found in the bone marrow blood obtained from patients characterized by a proliferating bone marrow. Actually, both LDH and ALP activities were obviously higher in the bone marrow blood of patients with megaloblastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myeloid leukemia than in samples taken from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a disease characterized by a slower proliferation rate. While the expected increased LDH activity is the result of an accelerated turnover of bone marrow cells implying the release of this enzyme from the dividing and/or decaying cells, the much higher activity of the heat-labile alkaline phosphatase found in the bone marrow blood would reflect an enhanced local remodeling of bone structures, probably related to an expanded proliferating bone marrow. The lower serum cholesterol level in the bone marrow blood could be subsequent to an enhanced uptake of low density lipoproteins by specific receptors on the bone marrow cells.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of the endothelia in hemostasis].

Unless associated with endothelial lesions or dysfunction, the increased plasma levels of fibrinogen, clotting factors VII and X as well as of fibrin stabilizing factor XIII and of the inhibitors of fibrinolysis, displayed by hyperlipidemic patients, could explain neither the localization nor the mechanisms triggering thrombotic events. Actually, endothelia are provided with both prohemostatic factors (tissue factor, von Willebrand factor, platelet activating factor) and antithrombotic mechanisms (tissue factor pathway inhibitor, proteoglycans activating antithrombin III, thrombodulin activating the protein C system as well as prostacyclin inhibiting platelet aggregation). Endothelia also modulate fibrinolytic activity by producing both activators and inhibitors of plasminogen activation. Evidence was provided that proinflammatory cytokines, anion superoxide and oxidized LDL would cause an upregulation of prohemostatic mechanisms, while down regulating the antithrombotic ones. Attempts made to detect endothelial dysfunction by methods available to the clinical laboratory and author's own observations concerning the behaviour of endothelia-derived plasma von Willebrand factor in various pathological conditions are briefly presented.

Antithrombins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum fibrinogen-fibrin related antigen and protamine sulfate test in patients with septic abortion and acute renal failure.

Decreased platelet count and platelet adhesiveness as well as increased values of the protamine sulfate test were found in 26 patients with septic abortion (9 of them anuric). Serum fibrinogen-fibrin related antigen (FR-antigen) values, detected in 13 patients (7 of them anuric) were greatly increased although euglobulin lysis time was rather prolonged (more than 400 min). Less increased FR-antigen values were noted in 15 cirrhotic patients with enhanced fibrinolytic activity in the circulating blood (euglobulin lysis time less than 120 min). These findings suggest that an important increase of FR-antigen in serum is likely to indicate a local fibrinolytic response to an initial coagulation event. Since platelet count and adhesiveness as well as FR-antigen and protamine sulfate test were similarly changed in patients with septic abortion who developed acute renal failure and in those who did not, it seems that the above mentioned parameters are not predictive for the evolution of thrombotic deposits and for possible renal complications following an episode of disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Abortion, Septic↗