Fibrin and fibrinogen-related antigens in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)

Abnormalities in fibrin deposition are implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular occlusion in systemic sclerosis. We have used a technique that involves electrophoresis and densitometric analysis of captured fibrin- and fibrinogen-related antigens to measure the concentration of the individual fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products in 13 patients with systemic sclerosis and in 15 healthy control subjects. As a group, patients with systemic sclerosis had markedly elevated levels of total fibrin-related antigen (p = 0.0007) and D-dimer (p = 0.0004), the terminal degradation product of cross-linked fibrin. The levels of fibrin monomer, an intermediate product in the conversion of fibrinogen to cross-linked fibrin, and of D-monomer, a terminal breakdown fragment of fibrinogen and fibrin monomer, were also elevated (p less than 0.005). We conclude that patients with systemic sclerosis have evidence of enhanced fibrin formation and degradation.