Clinical Significances of Scrum Protein C and S in Chronic Renal Failure

Lee, Kwi Soon; Ha, Sung Kyu; Park, Chong Hoon; Seo, Jung Kun; Lee, Ho Yung; Han, Dae Suk; Song, Kyung Soon

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Patients with chronic renal failure have increased hemorrhagic tendency due to an uremic platelet dysfunction and complications from anticoagulants used in hemodialysis. They are also prone to have thrombotic complications in the cerebral vessels, coronary arteries and A-V fistula, due to hypercoagulability from changes in various factors. Recently, deficiencies in plasma protein C and S, which are physiological anticoagulants, have been reported to cause thrombosis. In chronic renal failure, plasma protein C and S activities are known to be decreased.
METHODS
In the present study, activities and antigen concentrations of plasma protein C and S, as well as AT-III activities were investigated in three groups; the normal control group, the predialysis group of chronic renal failure patients treated conservatively, and the hemodialysis group. The findings were analyzed for their relationship to hypercoagulability.
RESULTS
1) The activities of plasma protein C, S and antithrombin-III were significantly lower in the predialysis chronic renal failure group as compared to the control. Antithrombin-III concentrations in the hemodialysis group assayed immediately prior to dialysis were significantly lower than those of the control group. But, protein C antigen concentrations in the hemodialysis group assayed immediately prior to dialysis were significantly higher than those of the control group. There was no significant difference between these groups in plasma protein C activities, and plasma protein S activities and antigen concentrations. 2) In the hemodialysis group, antithrombin-III activities, antigen concentration and activities of plasma protein C were significantly higher than after dialysis as compared to those before the dialysis. 3) There were no significant difference in plasma protein C, S and antithrombin-III activities and plasma protein C and S antigen concentrations in hemodialysis patients between with and without thrombosis at arterio-venous fistula site. However, plasma protein C and antithrombin-III activities were significantly lower in those with thrombosis as compared to those of the normal control group. There were no significant difference in plasma protein C and S activities and antigen concentrations in those without thrombosis as compared to those of the normal control group. 4) There were no significant diffrences in plasma protein C, protein S and antithrombin-III activities and antigen concentrations in dialysis patients with and without recombinant erythropoietin treatment. 5) There were no significant correlations between serum creatinine and creatinine clearance, and plasma antithrombin-III, protein C and protein S activities and antigen concentrations in predialysis group.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the decrease in plasma antithrombin-III, protein C and S could be the factors causing hypercoagulability in chronic renal failure patients, and the decreased activities of these factors may return to normal by dialysis. In the hemodialysis group, there were no significant diffrences in plasma protein C and S and antithrombin-III activities and antigen concentrations between the group which showed clinical thrombosis and the group which did not. However, in those who had thrombosis, plasma protein C and antithrombin-III activities are significantly lower than the control group. Administration of recombinant human erythropoietin does not appear to affect the activities of plasma protein C and S and antithrombin-III. In predialysis chronic renal failure patients, there was no significant relationship between renal function and plasma protein C and S and antithrombin-III.