Levels of plasma factor VII and factor VII activated forms as a function of plasma triglyceride levels

It has been shown that triglyceride levels are one of the determinants of factor VII levels. In this study we have simultaneously evaluated, in a group of 102 healthy individuals, the different forms of factor VII, namely factor VII mass, factor VII coagulant activity, activated factor VII double-chain form and factor VII-phospholipid complex, in relation to triglyceridaemia. The data showed a highly significant correlation of factor VII mass, factor VII coagulant activity and factor VII-phospholipid complex with triglycerides. No correlation was observed between the activated factor VII double-chain form and triglycerides. These data, together with analysis of the linear and orthogonal regression slopes, suggest that increase of plasma factor VII coagulant activity as a function of plasma triglyceride levels is attributable to an increase in both mass and activity of factor VII and that the increase in activity is dependent on an increase of factor VII-phospholipid complex rather than activated factor VII double-chain form. The ratio between the slopes of the regression straight line of factor VII mass and factor VII-phospholipid complex in relation to triglycerides was 2.23 (95% confidence limits 1.74-2.50), thus indicating that the contribution of factor VII mass is prevalent over that of the factor VII-phospholipid complex.