Effect of a high-fat diet on the concentration of antihemophilic globulin and factor V.

Experiments were carried out to determine whether a diet known to produce coronary thrombosis in rats (Hartroft, O'Neal and Thomas(6)) could produce increases in antihemophilic globulin (AHG), Factor V, and other coagulation factors. In animals continuously fed the thrombogenic diet the concentration of AHG increased to 186% of normal by two weeks and to 373% by eight weeks. The concentration of Factor V rose to a lesser extent, reaching 138% compared to a normal value of 100%. The prothrombin time, stypven time and plasma clotting time also showed significant changes. After thrombin injections, the mortality from massive thrombosis was significantly higher in fat-fed rats. As a considerable number of rats on this diet were shown to develop spontaneous thrombosis, the coagulation disturbances here described acquire added importance.