Plasma β-thromboglobulin level in patients with substitute heart valves

Abstract

The mean plasma concentration of β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) measured in 46 patients with substitute heart valves (13 aortic, 23 mitral, 10 aortic and mitral) was 29.8±13.0ng/ml (mean±S. D.) and that of 20 patients with valvular heart disease was 34.9±21.0ng/ml. The β-TG levels of each group were significantly higher (p<0.001, p<0.005, respectively) than that of 15 normal subjects (16.5±8.1ng/ml). However, there was no significant difference between the β-TG levels in the two patient groups. No difference was found in the β-TG levels and platelet counts between patients with and without a history of thromboemholism. Plasma fibrinogen levels seemed to be increased in the two patient groups compared to the normal subjects.
It seems likely that patients with substitute heart valves and with valvular heart disease are in a hypercoagulable state.