PLASMA THROMBOMODULIN VALUES AND HEPATORENAL FUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY

To define the clinical significance of plasma thrombomodulin (TM) valu es in elderly, we examined plasma TM in healthy young subjects, health y elderly subjects and patients with cerebral infarction sequelae. We also studied the relationship with effective renal plasma flow! (ERPF) and with the liver's protein-production ability. The TM values of hea lthy elderly subjects were higher than those of healthy young subjects . There existed an inverse correlation between TM values and ERPF. Acc ordingly high TM values might significantly influence renal arterioscl erosis. From the inverse correlation identified between TM and serum c holinesterase, it was estimated that high TM might appear in conjuncti on with the liver's protein production ability. Patients with cerebral infarction showed higher plasma TM values. It is thought that angiopa thy has been maintained in patients as the anamnesis of cerebral infar ction even though it occurred in the past. The TM values of patients w ith diabetes mellitus (DM) were higher than those without it. Moreover , the TM values of patients with DM complicated by retinopathy were hi gher than those uncomplicated by retinopathy. It is therefore estimate d that increased TM might occur with angiopathy resulting from DM. A. possibility thus exists that plasma TM could be utilized as one of the markers for endothelial injury. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd.