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Updated: Sep 21, 2026
Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States
Published on: April 1, 2015
Comparative analysis of whole blood clot viscoelastic properties via thromboelastography and plasma fibrin clot
Joanna Natorska1, Magdalena Kopytek1, Aleksandra Gołąb2
1Department of Thromboembolic Disorders, Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland; Krakow Center for Medical Research and Technologies, St. John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
Background:
Thromboelastography (TEG) is used in various clinical settings to assess clot formation, strength, and lysis. It is unknown whether TEG measures correspond to plasma fibrin clot characteristics.
Methods:
In 90 individuals free of cardiovascular disease (51 [56.7%] women, aged 49.3 ± 5.2 years, body-mass index [BMI], 26 [23.8-29.3] kg/m2) we assessed whole blood clot parameters (reaction [R] and clot formation [K] time, clot growth kinetics [angle], maximum amplitude [MA], and clot lysis [LY30]) using the TEG 6s analyzer (Haemonetics, Boston, US), plasma clot permeability (Ks), and clot lysis time (CLT) using three assays: (1) by Pieters (CLT-2018), (2) by Lisman (CLT), and (3) by Carter (Lys50).
Results:
There were associations of Ks with K time (R = 0.29, p = 0.0053), angle (R = -0.31, p = 0.0033), and MA (R = -0.47, p < 0.0001), while CLT tended to correlate with LY30. In women compared to men Ks was 8.4% lower corresponding to 7% higher MA (both p < 0.001). In obese (n = 19, 21.1%) vs. non-obese individuals angle was 5% larger (p = 0.029) but BMI did not correlate with TEG measures. TEG parameters and fibrin clot properties were unaffected by smoking, hypertension or hyperlipidemia. More efficient fibrinolysis (LY30 > 2.6%) was detected in 15 (16.7%) individuals who had also shorter CLT-2018 and CLT (both p < 0.05). Hypofibrinolysis (CLT-2018 > 300 min; n = 8, 8.9%) was detected only using CLT with no differences in TEG indices or Lys50.
Conclusions:
TEG and plasma fibrin clot properties are complementary methods for assessing hemostasis, however, fibrin clot properties better reflect the impact of clinical risk factors on fibrinogen modification.
