INCREASED LEVELS OF PLASMA THROMBOMODULIN ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VASCULAR AND ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY IN PATIENTS ON LONG-TERM ANTICOAGULANT TREATMENT

Background The aim of the study was to test if plasma levels of thromb omodulin could predict mortality in 209 patients on long-term anticoag ulant treatment followed up for 3 . 8 years. Methods and Results The t hrombomodulin level was 60 . 9+/-29 . 8 mu g, l(-1) for all 45 patient s who died and 60 . 5+/-30 . 5 mu g, l(-1) for the 38 vascular deaths, compared to 52 . 3+/-20 . 7 mu g,l(-1) for the 164 survivors. We foun d that, in Cox regression analyses; all-cause (P=0 . 025) and vascular mortality (P=0 . 042) was significantly and independently associated with increased levels of thrombomodulin. Conclusions The level of plas ma thrombomodulin can predict all-cause and vascular mortality in pati ents on long-term anticoagulant treatment.