Activity of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in the plasma of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) experience impaired balance between fibrinolysis and coagulation, manifested by increased prothrombotic tendency and intensified inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the TAFI activity level (thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor) in the plasma of AAA patients. Plasma levels of PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1), urokinase-type plasminogen activator and uPAR (urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor) were measured as markers of fibrinolytic activity. The study showed that the activity of the thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in the plasma of AAA patients was significantly lower than in the plasma of the control individuals (64.6 ±â€Š10.1 vs. 54.2 ±â€Š10.9%, P < 0.0001). TAFI activity positively correlated with the white blood cell count (r = 0.486, P < 0.005). The uPAR concentration in the AAA patients was statistically significantly higher than in the control group and positively correlated with TAFI activity (r = 0.409, P = 0.02). The levels of PAI-1 and D-dimers (fibrin fragments) were significantly higher in patients with AAA than in the control group (44.3 ±â€Š17.5 vs. 21.7 ±â€Š8.7 ng/ml and 1869.6 ±â€Š1490.1 vs. 181.5 ±â€Š188.6 ng/ml, respectively). Lowered activity of the fibrinolysis inhibitor TAFI may heighten the blood fibrinolytic potential in AAA patients and contribute to the development of comorbidities. Therefore, TAFI participation in AAA pathogenesis cannot be excluded.

[The evaluation of costs of the abdominal aortic aneurysm endovascular treatment]. / Ocena kosztów leczenia tetniaka aorty brzusznej metoda endowaskularna.

UNLABELLED: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) treatment by means of stentgraft implementation is a less post-operationally after-effected, way of treating the AAA on the contrast to the more traditional method. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs of stentgraft implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the years 2001-2006 65 patients were implemented the intervascular prosthesis. Only the patients with severe chronic medical problems were qualified for the treatment: 31 with the respiratory failure, 29 with the circulatory failure and 5 after the stroke with spastic hemiplegia. After CT of the abdominal cave and the angiography performed at the general anaesthetic the intervascular prosthesis was implemented. RESULTS: After the endovascular procedure was performed the complications could be noticed among 7 patients (10.76%), one patient died (1,53%). After obtaining the data from the Marketing Department the overall cost of treating the patients with endovascular prosthesis was 47500.39 PLN. CONCLUSION: Among patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and with severe chronic medical problems costs of the endovascular prosthesis implementation are high, because costs of the stentgraft are high.