12th Congress of the European Hematology ... - Haematologica

0340
ALTERED FIBRIN CLOT STRUCTURE IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE ASSOCIATED
WITH FORAMEN OVALE
K. Zawilska, 1 A. Undas, 2 P. Podolec, 2 M. Pieculewicz, 2 E. Stepien, 2
I. Jedlinski, 3 M. Duszynska, 3 E. Hanschke 1
1 University of Medical Sciences of Poznan, POZNAN; 2 Jagiellonian University,
KRAKOW; 3J.Strus Hospital, POZNAN, Poland
Background. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been implicated with
embolic stroke. The mechanism underlying this association remains elusive.
Dense fibrin clot structure, resistant to fibrinolysis, has been found
to be related to thromboembolic complications of coronary artery disease.
Aims. to test the hypothesis that altered fibrin clot architecture
might characterize individuals with stroke associated with PFO. Materials
and Methods. 62 patients (22 M, 40 F; mean age 40.5 [SD 13.7] years)
with documented PFO, divided into two groups based on the presence
of documented ischemic stroke or not (S + and S – ). Forty-two age- and sexmatched
apparently healthy individuals served as controls (n=42). Plasma
fibrin clot permeability (expressed as Ks, a measure of the pore size),
turbidity (lag phase and maximum absorbancy [max Abs]) and tissue
plasminogen activator (tPA)-induced fibrinolysis efficiency (expressed
as lysis time in a turbidimetric assay and maximum D-dimer levels, along
with their maximum rate of increase in a pressure-driven clot system)
were determined. Genotyping for the factor (F)XIII Val34Leu and fibrinogen
α chain Thr312Ala polymorphisms was performed. Results. In the S +
group, clot permeability was lower compared with the S- group (median
[IQR], Ks, 9.3 [1.4] vs 10.5 [1.3]×10 –9 cm 2 ; p