Cold-induced contact surface activation of the prothrombin time in whole blood.

Studies of the prothrombin time (PT) have revealed that contact with borosilicate or commercial siliconized borosilicate markedly shortens the PT. This shortening is related to the activation of the contact phase of blood coagulation. This shortening of the PT occurs in both normal whole blood and plasma when stored in borosilicate or siliconized borosilicate tubes at 4 degree C and to a lesser degree at room temperature. Studies indicated the importance of several coagulation factors in decreasing the PT. The PT did not change in blood deficient in factor XII or in plasma deficient in Fletcher factor or high molecular weight kininogen, while blood deficient in CI esterase inhibitor (CI INH) had the most profound shortening. Shortening of the PT correlated directly with increased levels of factor VII. When purified CI INH was added to normal blood, it markedly reduced the activation of factor VII and the shortening of the PT in a dose-related manner. These studies indicate the pivotal roles of the contact phase of coagulation in initiating activation of the PT and of CI INH in inhibiting the activation of the coagulation factor(s) responsible for the cold-promoted activation of factor VII.