The effects of physical training on hemostatic parameters were evaluated in 56 postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients before and after one month of systematic physical training and in 30 control post-MI patients, who did not undergo such training. There were no significant changes in prothrombin time (PT) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) at the beginning and end of the study in either group. Levels of fibrinogen, Factor VIII: C (VIII:C) and von Wildebrand antigen (vWf:Ag), and activities of ATIII and plasminogen (Plg) were significantly decreased in the group with physical training (p less than 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe t-PA/PAI-1 complex is a good indicator of the release of fibrinolysis activators and inhibitors from the vascular wall, but its clinical significance in chronic ischemic heart disease is unclear. The plasma levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and the t-PA/PAI-1 complex (including various coagulation factors) were assayed in 72 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 29 control (C) subjects. The CAD patients were subdivided into 3 groups: single-vessel disease (G1, n = 30), double-vessel disease (G2, n = 20), and triple-vessel disease (G3, n = 22).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe formation of new blood capillaries (angiogenesis) occurs in response to angiogenic factors released by either normal or tumoral cells. In the present study, we cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on collagen gels and aimed to clarify the effects of cyclic nucleotides on angiogenesis induced by endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF). HUVEC invaded the underlying collagen matrix and formed tube-like structures when ECGF was added.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study was undertaken to determine whether the extent of Factor VII elevation correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease and whether zymogen or activated Factor VII was responsible for this elevation. A group of 69 patients with coronary artery disease with old myocardial infarction was compared with 28 control subjects. The patient groups showed elevated levels of Factor VII procoagulant activity (FVII:C) and more markedly elevated Factor VII antigen (FVII:Ag) levels than the control group; therefore they had a decreased FVII:C to FVII:Ag ratio.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe studied the effects of urokinase (UK), pro-urokinase (pro-UK), and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) on platelet aggregation and the production of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) in vitro. Both UK and pro-UK inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP), collagen, or thrombin in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, although a low dose of rt-PA (5 to 10 x 10(4) U/ml) blunted platelet aggregability, a high dose (40 to 60 x 10(4) U/ml) led to platelet hyperaggregation.
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