Vol 10, No 4 (2004)
Research paper
Published online: 2004-11-23
The influence of procyanidolic oligomers on plasma anticoagulant activity
Acta Angiologica 2004;10(4):197-204.
Abstract
Background. Procyanidolic oligomers (PO) inhibit the degradation of subendothelial
connective tissue by collagenase and elastase neutralization. Their efficacy in
postphlebitic syndrome and venous insufficiency may suggest an additional systemic
action mediated by endothelium. Therefore, the plasma anticoagulant response and
the tissue plasma pathway inhibitor (TFPI) release induced by PO was assessed.
Material and methods. Twenty-six patients, both surgical and medical, aged 29–86 years, who required antithrombotic prophylaxis for at least 5 days, were included in the study. The patients with higher thrombotic risk received either unfractionated heparin (UFH; 5000 IU bid, s.c., n = 8) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH; 2850 IU AXa/0.3 mL o.d, s.c., n = 8). The patients with lower thrombotic risk received PO (150 mg bid, p.o., n = 10). In the control group there were age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers, to whom a placebo was administered. Blood samples were drawn before, on the 1, 4, 8 h, as well as on the days 2, 5 after administration of the study medication.
Results. The TFPI concentration did not change significantly from the baseline value at any time, either in patients or in controls. Anti-Xa activity increased at 1 h until day 5 after administration of each study medication. Anti-IIa activity increased at 1 hour and remained elevated until day 5 under UFH and LMWH treatment, but only until day 2 in the PO group. The area under the curve of both anti-Xa and anti-IIa activity was similar in all three study groups but significantly larger as compared to the controls.
Conclusions. Procyanidolic oligomers, like heparin and LMWH, induce anticoagulant response in plasma, but do not release TFPI into the blood.
Material and methods. Twenty-six patients, both surgical and medical, aged 29–86 years, who required antithrombotic prophylaxis for at least 5 days, were included in the study. The patients with higher thrombotic risk received either unfractionated heparin (UFH; 5000 IU bid, s.c., n = 8) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH; 2850 IU AXa/0.3 mL o.d, s.c., n = 8). The patients with lower thrombotic risk received PO (150 mg bid, p.o., n = 10). In the control group there were age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers, to whom a placebo was administered. Blood samples were drawn before, on the 1, 4, 8 h, as well as on the days 2, 5 after administration of the study medication.
Results. The TFPI concentration did not change significantly from the baseline value at any time, either in patients or in controls. Anti-Xa activity increased at 1 h until day 5 after administration of each study medication. Anti-IIa activity increased at 1 hour and remained elevated until day 5 under UFH and LMWH treatment, but only until day 2 in the PO group. The area under the curve of both anti-Xa and anti-IIa activity was similar in all three study groups but significantly larger as compared to the controls.
Conclusions. Procyanidolic oligomers, like heparin and LMWH, induce anticoagulant response in plasma, but do not release TFPI into the blood.
Keywords: procyanidolic oligomersanti-IIa activityanti-Xa activitytissue factor pathway inhibitorheparinlow molecular weight heparin