A Longitudinal Study of the Factor VII Rise during Pregnancy

D. Wright; L. Poller; J. M. Thomson; A. Sidebotham; C. F. Hirst; P. Hirsch

doi:10.1055/s-0037-1614986

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 1998; 79(02): 328-330
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1614986

Letters to the Editor

Schattauer GmbH

A Longitudinal Study of the Factor VII Rise during Pregnancy

D. Wright

¹From the Department of Pathological Siences, The University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

,

L. Poller

¹From the Department of Pathological Siences, The University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

,

J. M. Thomson

¹From the Department of Pathological Siences, The University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

,

A. Sidebotham

¹From the Department of Pathological Siences, The University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

,

C. F. Hirst

¹From the Department of Pathological Siences, The University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

,

P. Hirsch

²From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

A longitudinal study of 21 pregnant women has been undertaken using a variety of factor VII assays, including factor VIIa, to investigate the increase of factor VIIc. All assays demonstrated significant rises (p <0.001), most marked for factor VIIa (82%) and factor VIIc rabbit (81%). Smaller rises were seen for factor VIIc bovine (50%) and VII antigen (40%). Three indirect measures of activity state, factor VIIc rabbit:antigen, bovine:antigen and bovine:rabbit, provided conflicting data. Factor VIIa:antigen showed a significant increase of 36% (p <0.001). Within individual pregnancies the change in factor VIIc rabbit and antigen correlated with maternal weight gain (p <0.05). Two activity state measures, bovine:rabbit and bovine:antigen, showed negative correlation with birthweight. The increases in both zymogen and in activity state appear to contribute to the factor VIIc rise. The extent of this rise appears to be influenced by maternal weight gain. Increased factor VII activation is associated with reduced foetal growth.

Full Text

References

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