Changes of plasma hemostatic markers during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

Changes of hemostatic parameters during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 75 patients with chronic coronary artery disease were evaluated. Plasma levels of D-dimer, soluble fibrin monomer, plasmin-alpha2 antiplasmin inhibitor complex, and tissue factor (TF) were significantly increased in all patients with chronic coronary artery disease. The activity of antithrombin and protein C and the levels of protein C antigen were significantly decreased 1 hr after PTCA, but they returned to normal range 1 day after PTCA. There was no significant difference in the level of plasma APC-PCI complex before and 1 hr after PTCA. The plasma levels of D-dimer, soluble fibrin monomer, thrombomodulin, TF and PPIC were significantly decreased 1 hr, and the plasma levels of plasmin-alpha2 antiplasmin inhibitor complex 1 day after PTCA. These findings suggest that the decrease of protein C and antithrombin resulted in activation of the coagulation system. One hour after PTCA, the plasma levels of (total-free) TF pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were significantly decreased, but the plasma levels of total and free-TFPI were significantly increased, suggesting that consumption of (total-free) TFPI occurs during PTCA. Overall, these findings suggest that the hypercoagulable state improves during PTCA and that transient decrease of antithrombin, protein C, (total-free) TFPI or plasmin-alpha2 antiplasmin inhibitor complex may cause restenosis of coronary artery. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.