Hemostatic risk factors in ischemic stroke.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Hematology
• Neurology

Background:

• The role of hemostasis in ischemic stroke pathogenesis remains debated.
• Investigating clotting factors' association with ischemic stroke is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the association between high clotting activity of coagulation factors (FII:C, FV:C, FVII:C, FX:C) and fibrinogen with ischemic stroke.
• To identify independent risk factors for ischemic stroke among clotting factors.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 157 ischemic stroke survivors and 193 healthy controls.
• Analysis of plasma levels of factor II, V, VII, X clotting activity, and fibrinogen.
• Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for traditional risk factors.

Main Results:

• Patients with ischemic stroke had higher body mass index, arterial hypertension, smoking, and hyperlipidemia prevalence.
• Elevated levels of factor V clotting activity (FV:C), factor X clotting activity (FX:C), and fibrinogen were observed in patients compared to controls.
• High FV:C levels (>130%) were independently associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke (OR=3.4), with a 19% increased relative risk for every 10% increase in FV:C.

Conclusions:

• High plasma levels of factor V clotting activity (FV:C) are a prevalent and independent risk factor for ischemic stroke.
• FV:C may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, warranting further investigation.