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Thromb Haemost 2002; 88(01): 32-36
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1613149
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Protein C Global Assay in the Evaluation of Women with Idiopathic Pregnancy Loss

Galit Sarig
1   Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
,
Naomi Lanir
1   Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
,
Ron Hoffman
1   Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
,
Benjamin Brenner
1   Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 19 September 2001

Accepted after revision 08 March 2002

Publication Date:
09 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Since the majority of thrombophilic defects in women with pregnancy loss are in the protein C pathway, we have prospectively determined the diagnostic value of a protein C global assay in 60 consecutive women with pregnancy loss compared to 61 controls. Protein C activation time normalized ratio (PCAT-NR) in pregnancy loss women was significantly lower than controls (0.74 ± 0.16 vs. 0.99 ± 0.2; P <0.0001). PCAT-NR lower than cut off level of 0.8 were found in 42/60 (70%) of PL women compared to 7/61 (11%) of controls (OR = 18.0, 95% CI: 6.3-53.4, P < 0.0001).

Cut-off level of 0.8 successfully identified all pregnancy loss women with abnormality in the protein C pathway (12 factor V Leiden, 7 APC-Resistance without factor V Leiden, 15 low levels of protein S and 1 of protein C). Moreover, PCAT-NR below 0.8 was documented in 15/29 (52%) of PL women without thrombophilic risk factor compared to 3/55 (5%) of controls (OR = 18.6, 95% CI: 4.2-95.2, P <0.0001).

These results suggest that ProC Global may be useful as a screening test for protein C pathway abnormalities and may serve as a new thrombophilic risk factor in women with pregnancy loss.

Keywords

Protein C pathway - thrombophilia - pregnancy loss
 

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