Measurement of a newly developed thrombomodulin addition activated partial thromboplastin time assay in patients with deep venous thrombosis.

We developed a simple assay using rabbit thrombomodulin (TM) based on an activated partial thromboplastin time method, which detected the response to TM in plasma coagulation. We call it thrombomodulin addition clotting time (TACT). The anticoagulant response to TM was calculated by dividing the clotting time with TM by the clotting time with buffer solution. Results were expressed as TACT ratio, which indicates the degree of inhibition of plasma clotting by TM. Using this assay, we measured the TACT ratio in 80 patients with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and in 126 controls matched to the patients according to age and sex. A significant difference in the TACT ratio was observed between patients with DVT (mean 1.874) and controls (mean 1.956) (p < 0.001). Twenty- three patients (29%) had TACT ratios below the 10th percentile (1.757) of distribution of control subjects (odds ratio: 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-7.2). After excluding subjects with a deficiency of protein C, protein S and antithrombin III, we found an odds ratio for DVT of 3.4 (95% CI: 1.6-7.2). These data suggest that natural anticoagulant deficiencies do not influence the TACT ratio, and our case-control study may show that the plasma of patients with DVT has a low response to TM.

High prevalence of thrombocytopenia in SLE patients with a high level of anticardiolipin antibodies combined with lupus anticoagulant.

The relationship between thrombocytopenia and the level of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and/or the existence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) ware studied in 146 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). These patients were divided into six groups: A, those LA positive with a high level of aCL (>10 U/ml) (10 cases); B, those LA positive with a low level of aCL (3-10 U/ml) (15 cases); C, those LA positive but aCL negative (<3 U/ml) (12 cases); D, LA negatives with a high level of aCL (12 cases); E, LA negatives with a low level of aCL (16 cases); and F, aCL and LA double negatives (81 cases). The prevalence of thrombocytopenia (platelet count < or = 100 x 10(9)L) was by far the highest in group A (9/10 cases, 90.0%, P < 0.005, Fisher's exact probability test) as compared with group B (4/15 cases, 26.7%), group C (4/12 cases, 33.3%), group D (1/12 cases, 8.3%), group E (4/16 cases, 25.5%), and group F (9/81 cases, 11.1%). When the relationship between moderate thrombocytopenia and arterial or venous thrombosis was studied in these patients with SLE, thrombocytopenia was detected in 10 (83.3%, P < 0.005, Fisher's exact probability test) of 12 patients with arterial thrombosis; however, it was present in only 4 (23.5%) of 17 patients with venous thrombosis and in 14 (12.3%) of 114 patients without thrombosis. These findings suggest that a high aCL activity combined with LA positively reflects a high risk for both thrombocytopenia and arterial thrombosis.

Risk of arterial thrombosis in patients with anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant.

The relationship between arterial or venous thrombosis and the levels of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and/or existence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) was studied. The 141 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were divided into four groups: aCL single positive (25 cases), LA single positive (11 cases), aCL and LA double positive (25 cases), aCL and LA double negative (80 cases). The prevalence of thrombosis was higher in aCL and LA double positive patients (21/25 cases, 84.0%, P <0.01) than that in aCL single positive patients (4/25 cases, 16.0%), LA single positive patients (1/11 cases, 9.1%) and double negative patients (3/80 cases, 3.8%). Furthermore, in these double positive patients, all patients (10/10 cases) with a high positive level of aCL (> 10 units/ml) had arterial thrombosis, whereas only 2/15 patients (13.3%) with a low positive level of aCL (3-10 units/ml) were affected. Venous thrombosis was frequently found in the low positive group (9/15 cases, 60.0%). On the contrary, none of 105 LA negative patients had arterial thrombosis and only seven (6.7%) had venous thrombosis. These findings indicate that a high aCL activity combined with a LA positive result might be a risk factor for arterial thrombosis.

Study on an antibody against F1F2 fragment of human factor V in a patient with Hashimoto's disease and bullous pemphigoid.

We found a 81-year-old man with Hashimoto's disease and bullous pemphigoid whose activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) were prolonged. Mixing studies with normal plasma failed to correct APTT and PT, suggesting the presence of circulating inhibitor. The patient's factor V activity was 11% of normal control and was not corrected by mixing with normal plasma, indicating the presence of an inhibitor against factor V. This inhibitory activity was observed up to 32 times dilution of the patient's plasma. The inhibitor activity against factor V was not detected in the fraction of the patient's plasma that passed through Protein A Sepharose, but detected in the elution with glycine-HCl buffer. Furthermore, using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting method, purified IgG from the patient's plasma reacted with a protein with molecular weight (74KD) equivalent to F1F2 of factor Va which was activated by thrombin. The inhibitory activity was associated with IgG4 subclass. These data indicate that the inhibitor was IgG antibody which inhibit F1F2 of factor V. Autoimmune mechanism was strongly suggested for the development of the antibody.

[Examination of the inhibitor to factor VIII in non-haemophilic patient].

We examined an inhibitor to factor VIII in non-haemophilic patient who had been developed widely spread ecchymosis and intramuscular bleeding. He had no previous personal or family history of abnormal bleeding tendency. His laboratory data was all normal except examination for blood coagulation. Coagulation studies showed prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (48 sec) and decreased factor VIII activity (8%). The activity of the inhibitor to factor VIII was demonstrated to be 4.0 Bethesda unit. By the studies of dilution and time response curve, this inhibitor was found to inhibit up to 90% of factor VIII activity but not 100%. This inhibitor was shown to be IgG by protein-A affinity chromatography. In addition, bleeding time was prolonged in the patient. The value of von Willebrand factor antigen was 200%, but that of Ristocetin cofactor was 93%. Since the gel filtration analysis indicated that this inhibitor also suppressed Ristocetin cofactor activity, the relatively low value of Ristocetin cofactor might occur through the action of the inhibitor. These data suggest that patient's inhibitor react to factor VIII high molecular subunit.