CORRELATION OF VITAMIN-K-DEPENDENT CLOTTING FACTORS WITH CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES IN HEALTHY-YOUNG ADULTS

The plasma level of factor VII activity was a risk factor for the deve lopment of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in a prospective epidemiologic al study of hemostatic factors. We have previously reported significan t correlations between factor VII clotting activity or antigen and lip id fractions in a group of 132 young men (<30 years old) at low risk f or IHD and concluded that control of the plasma factor VII level may b e linked to lipid metabolism in normal male physiology. Because factor VII is one of four vitamin K-dependent procoagulant proteins, we hypo thesized that plasma levels of all these proteins would be similarly c ontrolled in normal physiology. In an extension of this study, we have measured two additional vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (prothro mbin [factor II] and factor X activity), as well, as factor VII activi ty and antigen and fasting serum lipid fractions in healthy young men and women (<30 years old) at low risk for IHD. In the women, we found significant positive correlations of factor VII antigen with total or HDL cholesterol and of prothrombin or factor X with total or LDL chole sterol. In the men, factor VII activity or antigen correlated with tot al cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol; pr othrombin or factor X correlated with total cholesterol, triglycerides , or LDL cholesterol. In contrast, we found no significant correlation s of fibrinogen with any of the lipid fractions in our groups of men o r women. Our data support the hypothesis that control of the levels of the vitamin K-dependent procoagulant proteins is linked to lipid meta bolism in the normal physiology of both men and women.