Abstract

A prospective study in 13 patients undergoing open-heart surgery with extracorporeal circulation revealed a marked decrease of the mean one-stage prothrombin time activity from 88% to 54% (p less than 0.005) but lesser decreases of factors I, II, V, VII and X. This apparent discrepancy was due to the appearance of an inhibitor of the extrinsic coagulation system, termed PEC (Protein after Extracorporeal Circulation). The mean plasma PEC level rose from 0.05 U/ml pre-surgery to 0.65 U/ml post-surgery (p less than 0.0005), and was accompanied by the appearance of additional proteins as evidenced by disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of plasma fractions (p less than 0.0005). The observed increases of PEC, appearance of abnormal protein bands and concomitant increases of LDH and SGOT suggest that the release of an inhibitor of the coagulation system (similar or identical to PIVKA) may be due to hypoxic liver damage during extracorporeal circulation.

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