Biomaterial Database

Fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) degradation products and fibrinopeptide A in pleural effusions. High turnover of fibrinogen in pleurisy. 1978

O Widström, and C Kockum, and B S Nilsson

Fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) degradation products (FDP) and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) were analysed in pleural fluids from 20 consecutive patients with major effusions of various aetiology. FPA is a short-lived polypeptide which is split off from fibrinogen, whereafter fibrin is formed. FDP are formed through lysis of fibrin or fibrinogen. In 18 patients no fibrinogen could be detected in pleural fluid, whereas two (both having malignant tumours) had detectable but low concentrations. High FPA concentrations, interpreted as reflecting very recent fibrin formation, were found in all pleural fluids except for one case of empyema and one transudate. Plasma concentrations were low in most cases. The same pattern was found with regard to FDP, i.e. exudates showed high concentrations, whereas plasma concentrations were low. The only patient with a transudate showed absence of fibrinogen and low concentrations of FDP and FPA. We interpret our findings as indicative of a high rate of fibrin formation and degradation in pleural exudates and have not found any differences between various types of pleural exudates. Consequently, the findings may illustrate the close association between the coagulation system and inflammatory reactions which may be common to most pleural diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010996	Pleural Effusion	Presence of fluid in the pleural cavity resulting from excessive transudation or exudation from the pleural surfaces. It is a sign of disease and not a diagnosis in itself.	Effusion, Pleural,Effusions, Pleural,Pleural Effusions
D010997	Pleural Neoplasms	Neoplasms of the thin serous membrane that envelopes the lungs and lines the thoracic cavity. Pleural neoplasms are exceedingly rare and are usually not diagnosed until they are advanced because in the early stages they produce no symptoms.	Neoplasms, Pleural,Neoplasm, Pleural,Pleural Neoplasm
D010998	Pleurisy	INFLAMMATION of PLEURA, the lining of the LUNG. When PARIETAL PLEURA is involved, there is pleuritic CHEST PAIN.	Pleuritis,Pleurisies,Pleuritides
D001984	Bronchial Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the BRONCHI.	Neoplasms, Bronchial,Bronchial Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Bronchial
D004653	Empyema	Presence of pus in a hollow organ or body cavity.
D005260	Female		Females
D005338	Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products	Soluble protein fragments formed by the proteolytic action of plasmin on fibrin or fibrinogen. FDP and their complexes profoundly impair the hemostatic process and are a major cause of hemorrhage in intravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis.	Antithrombin VI,Fibrin Degradation Product,Fibrin Degradation Products,Fibrin Fibrinogen Split Products,Degradation Product, Fibrin,Degradation Products, Fibrin,Product, Fibrin Degradation
D005340	Fibrinogen	Plasma glycoprotein clotted by thrombin, composed of a dimer of three non-identical pairs of polypeptide chains (alpha, beta, gamma) held together by disulfide bonds. Fibrinogen clotting is a sol-gel change involving complex molecular arrangements: whereas fibrinogen is cleaved by thrombin to form polypeptides A and B, the proteolytic action of other enzymes yields different fibrinogen degradation products.	Coagulation Factor I,Factor I,Blood Coagulation Factor I,gamma-Fibrinogen,Factor I, Coagulation,gamma Fibrinogen