Fibrin gel structure in smokers and non-smokers in the northern Sweden MONICA study A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: As the relationship between increased fibrinogen levels, including that in smokers, and cardiovascular complications is not fully understood we investigated the fibrin gel structure in a group of smokers and non-smokers. Design: Fibrin gel structure and levels of fibrinogen and triglycerides were analysed in samples from 24 middle-aged men (11 non-smokers, 13 smokers) and 27 middle-aged women (14 non-smokers, 13 smokers) of the Northern Sweden MONICA study. Methods: Fibrinogen was determined with a functional kinetic method. Fibrin gel structure was analysed by a permeability (flow) technique and the porosity of the gel expressed as permeability coefficient (Ks). Triglyceride levels were determined by an enzymatic method. Smoking status was validated by measurement of plasma cotinine. Results: Fibrin gel porosity (Ks) did not differ significantly between smokers and non-smokers. An inverse correlation was found between serum triglyceride levels and fibrin gel porosity. Conclusion: Thus we could not find any impairment of the fibrin gel porosity in smokers, which may be due to the low number studied. The relation of a tighter fibrin with elevated triglyceride levels may point to a pathogenetic mechanism whereby high triglyceride levels could promote atherothrombotic disease and confirms an earlier finding by us of a relation between these variables in healthy controls.