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Thromb Haemost 1992; 68(03): 261-263
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1656361
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

A Six Year Prospective Study of Fibrinogen and Other Risk Factors Associated with Mortality in Stable Claudicants

A K Banerjee
1   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom
,
J Pearson
2   The Clinical Research Centre Section of Medical Statistics, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom
,
E L Gilliland
1   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom
,
D Goss
1   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom
,
J D Lewis
1   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom
,
Y Stirling
3   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, The Medical College of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
,
T W Meade
3   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, The Medical College of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 10 February 1992

Accepted after revision 21 April 1992

Publication Date:
04 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

A total of 333 patients with stable intermittent claudication at recruitment were followed up for 6 years to determine risk factors associated with subsequent mortality. Cardiovascular diseases were the underlying cause of death in 78% of the 114 patients who died. The strongest independent predictor of death during the follow-up period was the plasma fibrinogen level, an increase of 1 g/l being associated with a nearly two-fold increase in the probability of death within the next 6 years. Age, low ankle/brachial pressure index and a past history of myocardial infarction also increased the probability of death during the study period. The plasma fibrinogen level is a valuable index of those patients with stable intermittent claudication at high risk of early mortality. The results also provide further evidence for the involvement of fibrinogen in the pathogenesis of arterial disease.

 

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