Coagulation

Hereditary thrombophilia / hypercoagulopathies

Dysfibrinogenemia



Last author update: 1 June 2016
Last staff update: 23 September 2020

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PubMed Search: Dysfibrinogenemia

Jeremy C. Parsons, M.D.
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Cite this page: Parsons JC. Dysfibrinogenemia. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/coagulationdysfibrinogenemiahypercoag.html. Accessed March 28th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • Disorders of fibrinogen structure (over 350 described)
  • Have variable effects on function (25% associated with bleeding, 20% associated with thrombosis, 55% have no symptoms or prolonged thrombin time)
  • Bleeding due to defective fibrin clot formation (impaired release of fibrinopeptides A or B and impaired fibrin monomer polymerization)

  • Thrombosis due to:
    • defective thrombin binding to fibrin, causing increased thrombin in circulation and more thrombosis
    • defective binding of tPA or plasminogen to fibrin or fibrin resistance to plasmin; includes Dusart (Paris V) and Chappel Hill III dysfibrinogens that are resistant to degradation by plasmin

  • Congenital (hereditary) dysfibrinogenemia is a rare cause of hypercoagulability (350 reported cases, 0.8% of patients with venous thrombosis); usually due to single amino acid substitutions in fibrinogen Aalpha, Bbeta or gamma genes
  • Recommended to use only as a second-line test in patients with thrombosis since dysfibrinogenemia is so rare
  • Autosomal dominant inheritance, but higher incidence in women due to pregnancy related thrombosis, particularly post-partum and in venous lower extremities, at mean age 27 years
  • Also associated with spontaneous abortions
Laboratory
  • Primary screening test is thrombin time (prolonged except for fibrinogens Oslo I and Valhalla - shortened)
  • Prolongation may also be due to heparin, heparin - like inhibitors, fibrin degradation products, hypofibrinogenemia, excess fibrinogen, paraproteins, excess protamine, anti - fibrinogen antibodies, anti - bovine thrombin antibodies, systemic amyloidosis, acquired dysfibrinogenemia
  • The sensitivity of thrombin time assays varies for dysfibrinogenemia because many assays are designed primarily to detect heparin contamination
  • Some labs use the reptilase time, which is not affected by heparin

  • Confirmatory test (if thrombin time or reptilase time is prolonged):
    • Fibrinogen activity-antigen ratio below reference range
    • Activity measured by Clauss method (rate of clot formation after adding high concentration of thrombin to citrated plasma
    • Use standard curve relating clotting time to plasma of known fibrinogen activity)
    • Antigen concentration determined by ELISA, radial immunodiffusion, precipitation or thrombin clotting methods
    • Perform both tests on same sample in same laboratory and using method-specific reference ranges

  • Diagnosis:
    • Similar laboratory test abnormalities in family members
    • If necessary, demonstrate abnormal structure or function of fibrinogen

  • Diagnosis of acquired dysfibrinogenemia:
    • Abnormal liver function tests, no dysfibrinogenemia in family members
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