The increase with age of the components of the tissue factor coagulation pathway is gender-dependent

To evaluate the influence of age and gender on the components of the tissue factor coagulation pathway, plasma levels of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), activated factor VII (FVIIa) and factor VII coagulant activity (FVIIc) were measured in 160 normal individuals. The female (n = 82) and male (n = 78) part of the population were matched for age, which was equally distributed from 21 to 101 years. Mean levels of TFPI were lower and those of FVIIc higher in women than in men; there was no gender-related difference for FVIIa. Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between age and TFPI (r = 0.34, P = 0.0001), FVIIa (r = 0.36, P = 0.0001) and FVIIc (r = 0.40, P = 0.0001). For each measurement, the positive correlation with age was mainly contributed by the female part of the population (TFPI: r = 0.51, P = 0.0001; FVIIa: r = 0.47, P = 0.0001; FVIIc: r = 0.58, P = 0.0001), whereas there was no significant correlation between age and TFPI, FVIIa or FVIIc in males. The gender-related difference of the association of these measurements with age was confirmed by comparing men or women older than 55 years with those younger than 55 years. TFPI, FVIIa and FVIIc were much higher in the older women group (P < 0.0002), whereas in the male part of the population only FVIIc was slightly higher in the older group (P = 0.03). These results indicate that the increase with age of the components of the tissue factor pathway of blood coagulation is mainly contributed by the female part of the normal population.