Tissue-type plasminogen activator and C-reactive protein in acute coronary heart disease. A nested case-control study.

Objectives: To study the importance of inflammation and fibrinolysis for evolution of ischaemic heart disease in a cohort of initially healthy subjects.

Design: Nested case-control study. Follow-up periods 7-15 years.

Association of factor VII protein concentration with lifestyle factors.

Several studies have demonstrated that changes in fasting levels of factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C), a thrombotic risk marker, are due to changes in FVII protein concentrations (FVII:Ag). Consequently, studies on FVII now often include measurements of FVII:Ag. The present cross-sectional study examined the association between several behavioural variables (body mass index, physical activity, tobacco or alcohol consumption) or physiological variables (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, fibrinogen, resting pulse, systolic blood pressure, bleeding time) and FVII:Ag in 439 51-y-old Danish men.

Plasminogen activators in human nasal polyps and mucosa.

Fibrinolysis is one of the processes that are involved in inflammation. In this study we have investigated if it is also involved in bilateral nasal polyposis, a disease with an inflammatory component. Fibrinolytic activity in the nasal mucosa and nasal polyps has been studied in 10 patients with bilateral nasal polyposis.

The effect of chemical anti-inhibitors on fibrinolytic enzymes and inhibitors.

Fibrinolytic enzyme inhibitors hamper the determination of the specific fibrinolytic serine protease activity. Reportedly, chemical anti-inhibitors eliminate the influence of fibrinolytic inhibitors, but it remains unclear to what extent they change the specific activity of fibrinolytic serine proteases. We studied the influence of chemical anti-inhibitors (chloramine T, flufenamate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and methylamine) on fibrinolytic serine proteases and fibrinolytic enzyme inhibitors using the physiological substrate fibrin as plasmin substrate.

Influence of occupational accidents and deaths related to lifestyle on mortality among merchant seafarers.

Objectives: The aim of the present historical cohort study was to enhance the understanding of the unusual mortality pattern seen among seafarers. The main object was to describe the mortality pattern of Danish seafarers in recent years with special reference to the influence of accidents in the maritime workplace and ashore and the influence of diseases related to lifestyle.

Subjects: A cohort of 24,132 male seafarers of all job categories employed on a Danish merchant ship between 1986 and 1993, was followed up.

Plasma resistance to activated protein C: an important link between venous thromboembolism and combined oral contraceptives--a short review.

The discovery of plasma resistance towards activated protein C, APC resistance, and its main genetic background, the presence of a single-point mutation in the gene coding for coagulation factor V, factor V Leiden, has, together with renewed documentation of a link between oral contraceptive use and thrombosis, increased the understanding of the pathophysiology, but also the demands to the prescribers, of the pill. Only with knowledge about hemostasis, thrombophilia, DNA technology, its use and limitations, epidemiology, and absolute risk, can general practitioners perform good clinical practice. This short survey tries to cover some of these aspects and to suggest directions for future research.

Incidence and relative risk for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and tuberculosis and occurrence of malaria among merchant seamen.

The purpose of the study was to assess the incidence and relative risk of hepatitis A and B and tuberculosis among Danish merchant seamen. We also assessed the occurrence of malaria. The study was based on record linkage of a research database containing data on 24,132 Danish male seamen and the Registry for Notifiable Infectious Diseases in Denmark, supplemented by data from other sources.

Plasminogen activator activity and plasma-coagulum lysis measured by use of optimized fibrin gel structure preformed in microtiter plates.

We introduce a new fibrin plate assay performed in microtiter plates. By means of spectroscopic studies we optimized the structure of the fibrin gel and then used the optimized fibrin gel to determine plasminogen activator activity. Plasminogen activator solutions were applied on top of the fibrin gel, and the absorbance of the gel was recorded at 405 nm.

The protein concentration of blood coagulation factor VII can be measured equally well in plasma and serum.

In the Northwick Park Heart Study, the coagulant activity of factor VII (FVII:C) has been identified as a risk marker of ischaemic heart disease. In the fasting state, the protein concentration of FVII (FVII:Ag) might be an even better risk marker, because of the low coefficient of variation of the antigen assay. Today, most analyses are performed in plasma samples, as it is unknown whether FVII, to some extent, is consumed during coagulation.

Dietary changes in fasting levels of factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C) are accompanied by changes in factor VII protein and other vitamin K-dependent proteins.

The mechanisms behind dietary effects on fasting coagulant activity of factor VII (FVII:C) are not clarified. In the present study of 15 young volunteers, two experimental diets differing in composition of saturated fatty acids (C18:0 [diet S] or C12:0 + C14:0 [diet ML]) were served for 3 weeks each. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after the dietary regimen and analysed for triglycerides, FVII:C, and protein concentrations of FVII, FII, FX, protein C, CRP, albumin, fibrinogen, and F1 + 2.

Antibodies against hepatitis viruses in merchant seamen.

Seamen constitute a special group of international travellers who may run an increased risk of contracting hepatitis, because of visits to foreign ports and the particular environment on board ship. The purpose of the survey was to assess the prevalence of serological markers for hepatitis A, B and C virus infection among seamen and to identify present and previous risk factors for infection. 515 seamen were studied.

A new automated method for continuous registration of factor VII activation in vitro. Activation is accelerated by the concentration of factor VII and the activity state of the protein.

When a plasma sample is exposed to tissue factor, single-chain factor VII (FVII) is gradually converted to the active two-chain form (FVIIa). In the present study, we have constructed a measurement system, which allows continuous registration of the activation of FVII to FVIIa in vitro. In this system, FVII activation follows parabolic kinetic after an initial lag-phase.