TAFI plasma levels are not increased in ischemic heart disease patients admitted to a coronary care unit

Abstract number: P0505

Mannini L., Sofi F., Attanasio M., Fatini C., Sticchi E., Lari B., Abbate R., Prisco D., Gensini G. F.

University of Florence, Italy

Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis (TAFI) is a recently described carboxypeptidase, which decreases plasminogen binding to the fibrin surface, and is involved in the regulation of the balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis. High TAFI plasma levels may therefore contribute to an increased risk for thrombotic disorders. Hypofibrinolysis has been reported to occur frequently in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Scarce and controversial data have been reported on TAFI plasma levels in IHD patients. The aims of this study were to measure TAFI activity (ac) and antigen (ag) levels in a group of IHD patients (pts) admitted to a Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and in a suitable group of matched controls: (1) to compare TAFI ac and ag levels and (2) to search for differences between IHD pts and control. Fifty-three patients (40 males, 13 females, mean age 63.3 ± 10 years) admitted to CCU of our department for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or unstable angina (UA) and 50 healthy controls (mean age 53.8 ± 9 years) were studied. Plasma TAFI activity and antigen were measured by chromogenic assay, and ELISA, respectively (American Diagnostica commercialized by Instrumentation Laboratory Milan, Italy). No differences in TAFI levels were found between pts and controls (TAFI ac: median 6.9 mg mL^-1 (2.5–14.0) in pts and 6.3 mg mL^-1 (0.8–9.8) in controls; TAFI ag: median 100% (34–201) in pts and 103% (57–233) in controls. Moreover, TAFI levels were similar in AMI and UA patients. Neither sex-related differences were observed. A significant correlation between TAFI ac and ag levels was found both in pts and in controls (P < 0.05). These preliminary results do not support a role of TAFI plasma levels as a relevant risk factor or risk marker for IHD.