Evaluation of serum citrullinated fibrinogen in patients with acute aortic dissection

Abstract

Background: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease that requires rapid intervention. The present study assessed the serum citrullinated fibrinogen (C-Fbg) levels in patients with AAD and investigated their clinical utility.
Materials and methods: Serum C-Fbg concentrations were measured at the first blood sample of AAD patie ts (n = 34) and compared with those of healthy controls (HCs; n = 23) and patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD; n = 10). We also assessed the correlations between C-Fbg levels and inflammatory and coagulation markers in patients with early-phase AAD as well as the time course of these markers, including C-Fbg.
Results: Serum C-Fbg levels were significantly higher in AAD patients than in HCs (p < 0.001) and IHD patients (p < 0.01), and serum C-Fbg levels correlated with D-dimer but not with other markers. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that C-Fbg concentrations were effective in differentiating AAD from IHD. In contrast to the decrease in D-dimer levels, C-Fbg concentrations remained high and relatively unchanged in early-phase AAD.
Conclusion: Serum C-Fbg levels were elevated in patients with AAD, and could differentiate AAD from IHD. Although further studies are needed, C-Fbg may be an adjunctive tool in the differential diagnosis of AAD.