Activated and total coagulation factor VII, and fibrinogen in coronary artery disease.

Fibrinogen (FBG) and total coagulation factor VII (FVIIc) concentrations are higher in those patients with coronary artery disease who are at increased future risk of acute ischemic events. The relationship between activated factor VII (FVIIa) and cardiovascular events, however, has not been intensively studied. Data were collected from 401 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography because of suspected coronary artery disease. Conventional risk factors FVIIc, FVIIa and FBG were assessed in relation to the severity of coronary artery disease, left ventricular ejection fraction, and previous clinical events. A strong positive correlation was found between FVIIa and FVIIc (p < 0.001), but neither FVIIa nor FVIIc correlated with FBG. No correlation was found between FVIIa, FVIIc or FBG levels and stenosis score for the severity of coronary artery disease, and all were similar in patients with stable or unstable angina pectoris. Multivariate regression analysis showed FVIIc to be higher in women (p = 0.004), and positively related to triglycerides (p = 0.001) and HDL cholesterol (p = 0.006), but not to a previous myocardial infarction or total cholesterol. FVIIa, on the other hand, was lower in patients with a previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.004), higher in women (p = 0.001) and those that previously had undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (p = 0.039), and positively related to total cholesterol (p = 0.011), duration of coronary artery disease (p = 0.032), and smoking (p = 0.008). FBG was positively associated with a previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.013), hypertension (p = 0.016), smoking (p = 0.005), and the thrombocyte count (p < 0.001). Finally, stepwise logistic regression analysis verified a previous myocardial infarction to be negatively associated with FVIIa (p = 0.03), and positively with FBG (p = 0.03), total cholesterol (p = 0.02), and the severity of coronary artery disease (p < 0.001). In conclusion, in patients suspected of coronary artery disease undergoing cardiac catheterization, FVIIa was decreased and FBG increased in those who had a previous myocardial infarction. FVIIa, FVIIc, or FBG levels were not, however, related to the severity of coronary artery disease, and they were similar in patients with stable or unstable angina pectoris.