Influence of fibrinogen degradation products on thrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time of canine plasma

To investigate how thrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time are influenced by fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mg/ml) of the purified FDP X, Y, D and E were added to the plasma of healthy dogs. If fragment Y was added to the plasma a considerable inhibitory effect could be demonstrated for all three test systems. A significant prolongation (p < 0.05) was found for concentrations of > or =0.1 mg/ml (thrombin time, APTT) and > or =0.2 mg/ml (prothrombin time). With FDP Y concentrations from >0.185 mg/ml (prothrombin time) to >0.24 mg/ml (APTT) coagulation time was prolonged beyond the respective reference range. As regards the other fragments, a comparable inhibitory effect could only be shown for fragment X added to the thrombin time test system. This effect can most probably be explained by the competition of the FDP X and fibrinogen for the fibrinogen binding sites of thrombin, rather than by a fibrin polymerization disorder. The results demonstrate that for plasma with normal fibrinogen concentration the group tests are only prolonged beyond the reference range at FDP concentrations very rarely found in spontaneous hyperfibrinolysis.