Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States
07:09

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

Published on: April 1, 2015

African-Caribbean ethnicity is associated with a hypercoagulable state as measured by thrombin generation

Lara N Roberts1, Raj K Patel, Paradzai Chitongo

  • 1King's Thrombosis Centre, Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. lara.roberts@nhs.net

Blood Coagulation & Fibrinolysis : an International Journal in Haemostasis and Thrombosis
|October 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

African-Caribbean ethnicity is linked to higher venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk due to increased thrombin generation, indicating a hypercoagulable state. This finding supports higher VTE incidence in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • African-Caribbean ethnicity is associated with a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), including first and recurrent events.
  • Understanding the underlying hemostatic mechanisms contributing to this disparity is crucial for risk stratification and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare thrombin generation parameters between individuals of African-Caribbean and white ethnicity.
  • To investigate these differences in both patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study was conducted with 80 patients who completed anticoagulation for a first DVT (30 African-Caribbean, 50 white) and 66 healthy controls.
  • Thrombin generation assays, including peak thrombin and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) with and without thrombomodulin, were performed.
  • Factor VIII levels were also assessed.

Main Results:

  • African-Caribbeans with DVT exhibited significantly higher peak thrombin and ETP (with and without thrombomodulin) compared to white patients with DVT and African-Caribbean controls.
  • Increased maximum velocity and ETP ratio were observed in African-Caribbean patients with DVT versus white patients with DVT and African-Caribbean controls.
  • Healthy African-Caribbean controls showed significantly higher peak thrombin, ETP, peak thrombin with thrombomodulin, and maximum velocity compared to white controls.
  • Higher factor VIII levels were found in African-Caribbeans with DVT compared to white patients with DVT and controls.

Conclusions:

  • African-Caribbean ethnicity is associated with a prothrombotic state, evidenced by enhanced thrombin generation.
  • These findings support epidemiological data linking this ethnicity to an increased risk of VTE.
  • Thrombin generation measurements in ethnically diverse populations necessitate adjustments for ethnicity.

More Related Videos

The Nijmegen Hemostasis Assay: Simultaneous Fluorogenic Measurement of Thrombin and Plasmin Generation in a Single Well08:01

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

Published on: February 27, 2026

Determination of the Procoagulant Activity of Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Using EV-Activated Clotting Time (EV-ACT)04:56

Determination of the Procoagulant Activity of Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Using EV-Activated Clotting Time (EV-ACT)

Published on: August 4, 2023

Related Concept Videos

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...
Venous Thrombosis I: Introduction01:30

Venous Thrombosis I: Introduction

Venous thrombosis, the most common disorder of the veins, involves the formation of a thrombus or blood clot associated with vein inflammation. It can be classified as either superficial vein thrombosis or deep vein thrombosis.Superficial Vein Thrombosis: This involves the formation of a thrombus in a superficial vein, usually the greater or lesser saphenous vein. Though less severe than deep vein thrombosis (DVT), SVT can lead to complications if untreated.Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): This...
Disorders of Hemostasis01:24

Disorders of Hemostasis

Hemostasis, the process that stops bleeding after a blood vessel injury, is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the circulatory system. However, disorders of hemostasis can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to either excessive clotting or bleeding. These disorders can be broadly classified into thromboembolic disorders and bleeding disorders.
Thromboembolic Disorders
Two factors primarily cause thromboembolic conditions.
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways of Hemostasis01:20

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways of Hemostasis

Blood clotting or coagulation involves extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, which ultimately merge into the common pathway, forming a fibrin clot.
The Extrinsic Pathway
The extrinsic pathway of coagulation is typically initiated by tissue damage that exposes blood to tissue factor (TF), a protein released by the damaged tissue cells outside the blood vessels—this interaction with TF triggers biochemical reactions involving specific clotting factors. The key player here is Factor VII, which forms a...
Coagulation01:09

Coagulation

The coagulation phase is a critical part of the body's process to prevent blood loss following injury to blood vessels. It involves chemical reactions that form a clot to seal the injured area. The clotting process begins shortly after injury, within 15-20 seconds for severe damage and 1-2 minutes for minor injuries.
During the coagulation phase, clotting factors, or procoagulants, play a vital role in initiating and progressing the coagulation cascade. This cascade is a series of reactions...
Coagulation01:06

Coagulation

Colloidal solids are solid particles suspended in solution. They are usually negatively charged, attracting a compact primary layer of positively charged ions, which attract more counterions to form an electrical double layer. Electrostatic repulsion between the charged double layers prevents the particles from colliding, stabilizing the colloids. These solids are often undesirable because they can contain toxins that are difficult to remove. Coagulation is a technique that helps aggregate and...