A Computer Assisted Method to Obtain the Prothrombin Activation Velocity in Whole Plasma Independent of Thrombin Decay Processes

H C Hemker; G M Willems; S Béguin

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1661594

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 1986; 56(01): 009-017
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1661594

Original Article

Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

A Computer Assisted Method to Obtain the Prothrombin Activation Velocity in Whole Plasma Independent of Thrombin Decay Processes

H C Hemker

The Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Limburg, The Netherlands, and the Dept, of Hematology CHU Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France

,

G M Willems

The Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Limburg, The Netherlands, and the Dept, of Hematology CHU Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France

,

S Béguin

The Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Limburg, The Netherlands, and the Dept, of Hematology CHU Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

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Summary

A method is described that, on the basis of the time course of amidolytic activity after the triggering of thrombin generation in normal plasma, allows the calculation of the velocity of prothrombin conversion independent of thrombin inactivating processes.

It is shown how the reaction constants for the α₂M-dependent and the α₂M-independent thrombin inactivation processes can be obtained in a sample of whole plasma.

The method is verified by demonstrating that the experimentally observed time courses of residual prothrombin and of α₂M-thrombin complex coincide with those calculated from the time course of amidolytic activity, and by showing that the course of prothrombin conversion in plasma without α₂-macroglobulin or AT III is adequately described if the α₂M or AT Ill-dependent breakdown constants are taken zero in the calculations.

It appears that the inactivation of thrombin, endogenously generated in whole plasma, is about half as fast as that of exogenous thrombin added to the plasma.

A computer program is presented that carries out the relevant calculations.

Keywords

Prothrombin activation velocity - Thrombin generation velocity - Antithrombin activities - α₂ - Macroglobulin

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References

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