Weight Reduction Is Associated With Increased Plasma Fibrin Clot Lysis

Abstract

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of vascular thrombotic events. We sought to investigate how obesity and weight loss affect plasma fibrin clot properties. A total of 29 obese patients were studied before and after 3-month low-fat diet. Plasma fibrin clot parameters, including fibrin clot permeation coefficient (Ks), the lag phase of the turbidity curve, clot lysis time (t 50%), maximum rate of increase in D-dimer levels, and maximum D-dimer concentrations, were determined. Low-fat diet resulted in the reduction of body weight (P < .0001), body mass index (P < .0001), fat mass (P < .0001), total cholesterol (P < .0001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = .0005), triglycerides (P = .008), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (P = .02), but not in fibrinogen or C-reactive protein. The only change in fibrin clot variables was shorter t 50% (P = .02). Baseline t 50%, but not posttreatment, correlated with waist circumference (r = .44, p = .02). This study demonstrates that weight loss in obese people can increase the efficiency of fibrin clot lysis.