[Factor VII for a molecular marker in hypercoagulable state].
We measured factor VII activity and antigen levels in plasma of pregnant women and patients with elevated serum FDP including patients with DIC who were supposed to be in hypercoagulable state, and compared the values with normal subjects. Both FVII activities measured by human placenta thromboplastin (hTF/FVIIc) and bovine brain thromboplastin (bTF/FVIIc) in normal plasma were correlated well with the FVII antigen levels (FVIIag). Measured hTF/FVIIc, bTF/FVIIc and FVIIag in pregnant women were 163 +/- 44%, 205 +/- 49% and 175 +/- 44% respectively, and each value had correlation. Thrombin-antithrombin III complex in these subjects was increased (7.85 +/- 2.25 mg/ml). However, antithrombin III, plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex and FDP D-dimer were within normal range. These observations indicated that pregnant women were in hypercoagulable state but not in hyperfibrinolytic state. hTF/FVIIc, bTF/FVIIc and FVIIag in plasma from patients with elevated serum FDP were 59.6 +/- 29%, 94 +/- 65% and 61.6 +/- 26% respectively. We divided these patients into 2 groups: Group A (both prolonged PT and APTT) and Group B (shortened APTT). hTF/FVIIc, bTF/FVIIc and FVIIag in plasma of Group A were 47 +/- 21%, 48 +/- 24% and 48 +/- 21% respectively. The corresponding values of Group B were 80 +/- 24%, 155 +/- 54% and 74 +/- 23% which were correlated each other. Low levels of FVII observed in Group A seemed to be due to increased consumption of coagulation factors. In Group B, the pattern of FVII activities and FVII antigen was similar to that of pregnant women, though FVII levels were lower.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)