ABSTRACT
In recent years the role of plasma fibrinogen as an independent cardiovascular risk factor has been increasingly recognized. Most of the studies on the relationship between plasma fibrinogen and cardiovascular risk have been in men; with that in women less investigated. Haemostatic and endothelial function in relation to thrombogenesis and CHD may be particularly important in women because women with myocardial infarction and angina chest pain are more often free of angiographically visualized coronary atherosclerosis than are men. This study was to establish the plasma fibrinogen level of adult women seen in the Outpatient Clinic. One hundred non-pregnant women attending the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital General Outpatient Clinic (GOPC) aged between 18-90 years who met the inclusion criteria and gave informed consent were recruited into the study. Each subject had 4.5mls of venous blood sample collected by vene-puncture using a plastic syringe. This was transferred into a tube containing 0.5ml of trisodium citrate (10:1 dilution); this was centrifuged immediately and plasma analysed for fibrinogen concentration by the modified Clauss technique. Comparison between pre-menopausal; peri-menopausal and post-menopausal groups was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by student's t-test. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered as significant. The fibrinogen concentration (mg/dl) were 257+44; 315+40 and 579+99 for pre-menopausal; peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women respectively (p0.05). ANOVA showed a Critical F-ratio 3.07; calculated df ratio was 220 (p0.05). Collorary to the ANOVA; student t-test of 1.7 (p0.05) between pre-menopausal and peri-menopausal women; pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women 6.2 (p0.05); and peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women 3.5 (0.05). The critical range for student t-test was 12.7; while calculated t ratio was less. The foregoing findings raise a serious concern for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) using estrogens in women with severe symptoms of menopausal syndrome. Although the fattening room practice termed `Nkuho' or `Mbobo' among the Calabar women is on the decline it exposes women of reproductive age to increased cardiovascular risk. It is thus necessary that Primary Care Physicians begin to include plasma fibrinogen estimations as part of cardiovascular risk profiling as a health promotion strategy in all women of reproductive age