LEVELS OF PROTHROMBIN FRAGMENT F1+2 IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA AND A HISTORY OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM

Increased thrombin generation occurs in many individuals with inherite d defects in the antithrombin or protein C anticoagulant pathways and is also seen in patients with thrombosis without a defined clotting ab normality. Hyperhomocysteinemia (H-HC) is an important risk factor of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Sire prospectively followed 48 patients with H-HC (median age 62 years, range 26-83; 18 males) and 183 patient s (median age 50 years, range 18-85; 83 males) without B-HC for a peri od of up to one year. Prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2) was determined in the patient's plasma as a measure of thrombin generation during and at several time points after discontinuation of secondary thromboprop hylaxis with oral anlicoagulants. While on anticoagulants, patients wi th H-HC had significantly higher F1+2 levels than patients without H-H C (mean 0.52 +/- 0.49 nmoI/l, median 0.4, range 0.2-2.8, versus 0.36 /- 0.2 nmoI/l, median 0.3, range 0.1-2.1; p = 0.02). Three weeks and 3 , 6, 9 and 12 months after discontinuation of oral anticoagulants, up to 20% of the patients with H-HC and 5 to 6% without H-HC had higher F 1+2 levels than a corresponding age- and sex-matched control group. 16 % of the patients with H-HC and 4% of the patients without H-HC had ei ther F1t2 levels above the upper; limit of normal controls at least at 2 occasions or (an) elevated F1+2 level(s) followed by recurrent VTE. No statistical significant difference in the F1+2 levels was seen bet ween patients with and without H-HC. We conclude that a permanent hemo static system activation is detectable in a proportion of patients wit h K-HC after discontinuation of oral anticoagulant therapy following V TE. Furthermore, secondary thromboprophylaxis with conventional doses of oral anticoagulants may not be sufficient to suppress hemostatic sy stem activation in patients with H-HC.