[A novel molecular marker for thrombus formation and life prognosis--clinical usefulness of measurement of soluble fibrin monomer-fibrinogen complex (SF)]

Abstract

For a long time fibrinopeptide A(FPA), fibrinopeptide B(FPB), D-dimer, FM test, serum FDP, and thrombin anti-thrombin complex(TAT) are being used as molecular markers to for sure diagnose hypercoagulable state and thrombus formation. Indeed these molecular markers are very useful for diagnosing thrombus formation, disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC), and the indicator of treatment of DIC. But these molecular parameters are not enough and difficult for prognosis of the disease or predicting the complication of patients as the most important subject for clinicians. The soluble fibrin monomer-fibrinogen complex (SF) is a complex coupling fibrin monomer and fibrinogen molecules to be formed in the early-activated state of blood coagulation. Thus such a molecular complex is expected to serve as a parameter for the diagnosis of thrombus formation and DIC, in particular its early stage. The aim of the present study is to evaluate a potential usefulness of a newly developed SF test utilizing an SF specific monoclonal antibody (IF-43). We measured SF together with established other parameters in 195 patients with DIC, subclinical DIC/hypercoagulable state, and non-DIC. The diagnosis of DIC was made based on a modified version of the criteria established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. Underlying disease includes leukemia, malignant lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), multiple injury, giant ovarian tumor, prostatic cancer with multiple bone metastasis, lung cancer, breast cancer with multiple lung and bone metastasis, severe pneumoniae, sepsis, hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), and rheumatoid arthritis. The SF levels in DIC patients were significantly higher than those in the subclinical DIC/hypercoagulable state, and the non-DIC patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis shows that the specificity and sensitivity of the SF assay appears to be satisfactory. As the level of SF reflects the thrombin generation activity in plasma, it would serve as a strong tool to selectively kick up the state of thrombin generation. These results indicate that the SF could be a specific and reliable parameter for the diagnosis of DIC and contribute to legitimate managements of patients with DIC. The excessive life response to serious clinical insults, such as sepsis, severe pancreatitis, trauma and shock, is called systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Once SIRS occurs, people may often die from serious complications such as adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute lung injury (ALI), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and multiple organ failure (MOF). Especially, ALI followed by pneumoniae associated with SIRS could depend on patient's prognosis and life. That is to say, it seems to be urgent for clinicians to make differential diagnosis between Pneumoniae associated with SIRS and Coagulopathy (PASC) and Simple Pneumoniae (SP). Soluble fibrin monomer-fibrinogen complex(SF) is formed in the early-activated state of blood coagulation. Thus such a molecular complex is expected to serve as a parameter for the diagnosis of coagulopathy, in particular its early stage. The aim of the present study is to make differential diagnosis between Pneumoniae associated with SIRS and Coagulopathy (PASC) and Simple Pneumoniae(SP) by using a newly developed SF test utilizing an SF specific monoclonal antibody (IF-43). We measured SF together with established other parameters, hemogram, blood laboratory items in 7 patients with PASC and 17 patients with SP. The diagnosis of Pneumoniae was defined according to the criteria: clinical symptoms abnormal shadow in both Chest X-p and Chest CT, increased level of CRP, number of WBC. The diagnosis of SIRS was based on the criteria established by American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)/Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Consensus Conference held in August of 1991 in Northbrook, IL (USA). Underlying disease includes leukemias, malignant lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), multiple myeloma, idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura(ITP), multiple injury (bone fracture), cerebral hemorrhage, enterocolitis, Appendicitis, lung cancer, larynx cancer, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia(BOOP), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), sepsis. The SF levels in PASC patients are significantly higher than those in SP patients (p < 0.001). Otherwise, there is no significant difference of the CRP levels between in PASC group and SP group (p < ns). There is no co-relationship between SF level and D-dimer level. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis shows that the specificity and sensitivity of the SF assay appears to be quite satisfactory. As the level of SF reflects the thrombin generation activity in plasma, it would serve as a strong tool to selectively kick up the state of thrombin generation. These results indicate that the SF could be a specific and reliable parameter for the diagnosis of PASC and contribute to legitimate managements of patients with PASC.