Hypercoagulability and high lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with aplastic anemia receiving cyclosporine

• Published in: Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis Vol. 7; no. 6; p. 609
• Main Authors: Morishita, E, Nakao, S, Asakura, H, Jokaji, H, Saito, M, Uotani, C, Kumabashiri, I, Yamazaki, M, Yoshida, T, Takemoto, K, Aoshima, K, Hashimoto, T, Matsuda, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-09-1996
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anemia, Aplastic - blood; Anemia, Aplastic - drug therapy; Blood Coagulation - drug effects; Cholinesterases - blood; Creatinine - blood; Cyclosporine - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Lipoprotein(a) - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; Platelet Count
• ISSN: 0957-5235
• DOI: 10.1097/00001721-199609000-00006

There is some clinical evidence that cyclosporine A (CyA) is associated with thrombotic complications of bone marrow and renal transplantation. We investigated plasma concentrations of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a potentially atherothrombotic lipoprotein, and hemostatic and vascular status in ten patients with aplastic anemia receiving CyA, eleven patients not taking it, and 38 age-matched healthy controls. Patients receiving CyA had significantly higher concentrations of plasma fibrinogen (P < 0.05), prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2; P < 0.05), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1; P < 0.05), and von Willebrand factor antigen (P < 0.05) than did patients not taking CyA. Plasma concentrations of Lp(a) were higher in CyA-treated patients than those not receiving it (P < 0.05) or healthy controls (P < 0.05). The difference in the Lp(a) concentration between controls and patients who did not receive CyA-treatment was not significant. Our results suggest that hypercoagulability is likely to occur during CyA therapy. Further, the presence of high concentrations of Lp(a) may accelerate the process of atherosclerosis and increase thrombotic events in patients receiving long-term CyA.