The effect of body build, diet and endocrine factors on the extrinsic fibrinolytic system in healthy young women

Abstract

In this study, the importance of anthropometric, nutritional and endocrine variables on the plasma concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) were investigated. Tissue plasminogen activator concentration and PAI-1 activity in plasma were studied in 24 healthy young women after diet periods which caused depletion or filling of hepatic glycogen stores. Plasminogen activator inhibitor levels in the glycogen-depleted state and the glycogen-repleted state were positively correlated, as were also tPA levels.

In fasting subjects with repleted glycogen stores, tPA values correlated with fasting insulin concentration and blood pressures. In fasting subjects depleted of glycogen stores, PAI-I correlated with tPA, plasma insulin, triglycerides, and waist-to-hip girth ratio; triglycerides and waist-to-hip girth ratio also correlated with tPA. Over a 4-h period following intake of a test-meal, the glucose and insulin responses were not correlated with the fibrinolytic variables.

Multivariate regression analysis suggested that waist-to-hip girth ratio and diastolic blood pressure were independently associated with tPA concentrations both in subjects with depleted and repleted glycogen stores.

Thus, both constitutional factors such as anthropometric variables and blood pressure, and nutritional status of the subjects may be related to tPA and PAI- levels in plasma. This should be taken into account in clinical studies on fibrinolysis.

Key Words:

• body composition
• fibrinolysis
• food intake
• glycogen stores
• tissue plasminogen activator
• tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor