Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

The Nijmegen Hemostasis Assay: Simultaneous Fluorogenic Measurement of Thrombin and Plasmin Generation in a Single Well
08:01

The Nijmegen Hemostasis Assay: Simultaneous Fluorogenic Measurement of Thrombin and Plasmin Generation in a Single Well

Published on: February 27, 2026

Plasma fibrinogen - are there age-dependent changes?

K Hager1, G Seefried, M Felicetti

  • 1Clinic for Medical Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Henriettenfoundation, Schwemannstrasse 19, D-30559 Hannover, FRG.

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|January 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Plasma fibrinogen concentration increases with age, potentially elevating vascular disease risk in older adults. Coagulation activity remained unchanged across age groups, despite method variations.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Gerontology
  • Cardiovascular Science

Background:

  • Fibrinogen is a known risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
  • Prospective studies suggest a link between fibrinogen levels and vascular health.
  • Age-related changes in fibrinogen's role in disease risk require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between aging and plasma fibrinogen levels in healthy individuals.
  • To assess age-dependent changes in fibrinogen's coagulation activity and properties.
  • To compare the reliability of different fibrinogen assay methods across age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of plasma fibrinogen in 129 clinically healthy participants aged 23-90 years.
  • Employment of six different assays measuring immunological, functional, and physical fibrinogen properties.
  • Evaluation of plasma fibrinogen susceptibility to heat precipitation and N-acetylneuraminic acid content.

Main Results:

  • Plasma fibrinogen concentration increased by 17-29 mg/dL per decade, varying by assay method.
  • No decline in specific coagulation activity was detected, but assay comparability was poor.
  • Slight increase in N-acetylneuraminic acid per mg of fibrin suggests age-dependent posttranslational modifications.

Conclusions:

  • Advancing age is associated with increased plasma fibrinogen concentration.
  • Elevated fibrinogen may contribute to increased vascular disease risk in the elderly.
  • Coagulation activity of fibrinogen did not change significantly with age.

More Related Videos

Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States07:09

Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States

Published on: April 1, 2015

Measurement of Factor V Activity in Human Plasma Using a Microplate Coagulation Assay13:08

Measurement of Factor V Activity in Human Plasma Using a Microplate Coagulation Assay

Published on: September 9, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution01:00

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are not...
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
Clot Retraction and Fibrinolysis01:16

Clot Retraction and Fibrinolysis

After a fibrin clot is formed, the next step is clot retraction, a vital process facilitated by platelet contractile proteins, such as actin and myosin. These proteins pull the fibrin strands closer together and condense the clot. This action reduces the size of the clot, creating a smaller, denser structure that effectively seals off the damaged vessel. Clot retraction consolidates the clot and helps with wound healing by bringing the edges of the damaged blood vessel closer together.
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism

Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion

In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...