Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: changes in factor VIII and von Willebrand factor impose early hypercoagulability.

Introduction: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is a well-documented prothrombotic state that carries significant embolic risk. However, precise hemostatic changes in the very early stage of the disease are not completely studied. The aim of the study was to study von Willebrand factor (vWF) and coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) plasma levels and activity in the first hours (up to 24 h) of PAF clinical manifestation.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is associated with early coagulation activity regardless of risk factors for embolism.

Background: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is associated with an increased incidence of embolic events, even in patients with no embologenic risk factors. This fact raises the question for the hypercoagulability in PAF as a state closely related to the arrhythmia itself, independent of other well established embologenic risk factors. The scarce data on that topic predisposed our aim that was to study coagulation activity in the early hours (up to the twenty-fourth hour) of the disease.

Early effects of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation on plasma markers of fibrinolysis.

There are no studies to date on the early changes in the hemostasis profile of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).Given the key role of the fibrinolytic system in maintaining blood fluidity, our aim was to examine its activity in patients with clinical manifestation of the disease <24 hours.We studied 51 nonanticoagulated patients with a first episode of the disease (26 men, 25 women; mean age 59.

Decreased Activity of the Protein C Anticoagulant Pathway in the Early Hours of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Increased coagulation activity has been established in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), but data on the anticoagulant system are scarce.

Purpose: To examine the protein C anticoagulant pathway in the early hours of the disease.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-one patients (26 men and 25 women; mean age 59.

Blood pressure control predicts plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 in diabetes mellitus type II.

Introduction: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays an important role in extracellular and vascular remodelling. We aimed therefore to assess the role of blood pressure (BP) control on plasma MMP-9 in relation to the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) type II.

Material And Methods: Plasma MMP-9 was measured in 61 patients who were divided into two groups depending on their BP control as follows: 49 patients with uncontrolled arterial hypertension (AH) defined as BP values > 130/80 mm Hg and 12 patients with optimal blood pressure values.

Predictive factors for high brain (B-type) natriuretic peptide at discharge in properly treated heart failure patients.

Aim: To study differences and prognostic effect of some factors on brain (B-type) natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels at discharge of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) treated in accord with current treatment guidelines.

Patients And Methods: Eighty-five consecutive patients hospitalized for CHF were recruited into the study. A standardized study protocol was used for them including collection of blood samples for measurement of electrolytes, creatinine at baseline and BNP at discharge.