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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

A New Murine Model of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Published on: July 7, 2013
Is increased thrombin activation in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms dependent on area or volume of aneurysm
Tilo Kölbel1, Tobias Donath, Karin Strandberg
1Departments of Vascular Diseases and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital MAS, Malmö, Sweden. tilokoelbel@gmail.com
Objectives:
Does thrombin activation seen in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) relate to the thrombus surface area or volume within the aneurysm?
Patients And Methods:
A total of 130 patients with AAA were analyzed regarding levels of the complex between activated protein C-protein C inhibitor (APC-PCI) and AAA morphology. Analysis of APC-PCI complex was made using a sandwich immunofluorometric method.
Results:
Increased APC-PCI concentrations were seen in patients with AAA (0.44 microg/L; P < .001 compared with controls). The correlations of APC-PCI values were r = .13, P = .13 for aneurysm size, r = .08, P = .35 for thrombus surface area, and r = .13, P = .14 for thrombus volume. APC-PCI values elevated to 0.45 microg/L in 10 patients with AAA having no or very little thrombus mass.
Conclusion:
Disappointingly, no correlation was found between thrombus surface area or volume and levels of the APC-PCI complex. Mechanisms other than the AAA-sac thrombus must be evaluated as cause of thrombin activation in patients with AAA.
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