The native fibrin gel structure formed in vitro from plasma samples was examined by liquid permeation of the hydrated fibrin gel networks in 18 men who had suffered a myocardial infarction before the age of 45 years and in 20 control subjects. Patients with an elevated plasma fibrinogen concentration had a considerably lower fibrin gel porosity (permeability coefficient, Ks) compared with patients with a normal plasma fibrinogen level and with controls. The calculated fiber mass-length ratio of the fibrin gel networks was decreased in both patient groups. Gel porosity differed markedly between individuals at a given plasma fibrinogen concentration. Fairly strong inverse correlations were found between plasma orosomucoid level on the one hand and Ks (r = –0.617, p <0.01) or fiber mass-length ratio (r = –0.499, p <0.05) on the other. The low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration also correlated inversely with Ks (r = –0.471, p <0.05) and fiber mass-length ratio (r = –.522, p <0.05). Significant inverse relations, which were independent of plasma fibrinogen and lipoprotein concentrations, were detected between Ks (r = –.519, p <0.05) and calculated fiber mass-length ratio (r = –.723, p <0.001) and number and severity of coronary artery stenoses determined by angiography. A proneness to formation of tight, rigid and space-filling fibrin network structures with small pores thus appears to be associated with premature coronary artery disease.
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