The homocysteine, PAI-1 and tPA concentration ratio status: a thrombogenic link in classic homocystinuria

Abstract number: CD122

Castaneda^* S., Arbelaez† L. F., Cordoba^* A.

†Colegio Mayor de Antioquia, Colombia ^*University of Antioquia, Colombia;

Introduction  

Either moderate or severe hiperhomocysteinemia and fibrinolytic alterations are associated with venous and arterial vascular alterations. Patients with classic homocytinuria suffer thromboembolic episodes, which are the main cause of mortality.

Objetive  

The objective of this study was to determine the homocysteine (Hcy), PAI-1 and tPA ratio status concentrations in patients with classic homocytinuria, their relatives and two healthy control groups.

Methodology  

In this case-control study, six patients with classic homocystinuria, 12 relatives of the patients (10 parents and 2 siblings) in order to complete three people from each family, and 21 healthy controls in function of the age and sex of the patients and their relatives are analyzed. All of them from the city of Medellin. The total plasma Hcy was determined by means of polarized fluorescence immune assay, and the tPA and PAI-1 antigen measurements were done by means of ELISA with commercial kits (tPA Biopool TintElize and PAI-1 Biopool TintElize).

Results  

The Hcy/tPA concentration ratio status in the patient group was 37.6-fold higher than in the control group, and in their relatives was 1.8-fold higher than in the controls. In a similar way, the PAI-1/tPA concentration ratio status was 6.2- and 1.4-fold higher in patients and relatives, respectively, than the healthy control groups. On the other hand, the Hcy/PAI-1 concentration ratio status in patients was 13.8-fold higher than controls, and 1.2-fold higher in the relatives than in controls.

Conclusion  

This noticeable unbalance in the status ratios probably plays an important role in the state of hypercoagulability, as promotion of thromboembolic events in homocystinurics and as increase in the cardiovascular risk in relatives.

Acknwoledgement  

For the financial support from the CODI, University of Antioquia.