Abstract
Fibrinogen derivatives (FD) in sera from normal children and from patients with coagulopathy were characterized using a method of immunoabsorption followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic bands with antigenic capacity against anti-fibrinogen serum were identified by their molecular weights, and classified as follows: high molecular weight fibrinogen complexes (HMWFC), fragments X, Y, D, E, D-dimer and others. Their concentrations and proportions to total serum FD in normal children (N=20) were shown in Table 2. D-dimer, derived from crosslinked fibrin, and HMWFC were markedly elevated in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Proportions of D-dimer and HMWFC were raised in Henoch-Schönlein purpura and in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, and concentrations of D-dimer and HMWFC were increased in nephrotic syndrome. Using this technique, it may be possible to discriminate between DIC and primary fibrinolysis, and to detect changes in the blood coagulation and fibrinolysis systems in patients with various forms of coagulopathy.
