Protein Z in ischaemic stroke

Citation
K. Kobelt et al., Protein Z in ischaemic stroke, BR J HAEM, 114(1), 2001, pp. 169-173
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Hematology,"Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Journal title
BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
ISSN journal
00071048 → ACNP
Volume
114
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
169 - 173
Database
ISI
SICI code
0007-1048(200107)114:1<169:PZIIS>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
Many risk factors associated with ischaemic stroke are known, including hig h levels of fibrinogen or factor VII. Protein Z is a vitamin K-dependent co agulation factor, which was found to promote the assembly of thrombin with phospholipid vesicles that might promote coagulation. Indeed, a low protein Z level may be associated with a varying bleeding tendency. Therefore, we hypothesized that high protein Z levels could induce a hypercoagulable stat e and performed a case-control study to investigate a potential association between high protein Z plasma levels and ischaemic stroke. We measured pro tein Z in plasma samples from 157 patients with stroke of unknown aetiology and 192 control subjects. All patients had survived an ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) for at least 2 months. We found an increa sed relative risk of ischaemic stroke with increasing protein Z levels, wit h an odds ratio of 4.3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-11] for protein Z plasma levels greater than or equal to 160%. Excluding patients with a his tory of venous thromboembolism from the analysis, the same result was obtai ned (odds ratio 4.2; 95% CI: 1.6-11.2). Using a logistic regression model, this association also remained significant (P = 0.04) after adjustment for established risk factors. Our data indicated that a high plasma level of pr otein Z is an independent risk factor for ischaemic stroke.