Effect of Age on the Hemostatic Function in Patients with Degenerative Diseases of the Large Joints

CLINICAL RESEARCH
Irina P. Antropova, PhD¹*, Boris G. Yushkov, PhD, ScD²'³, Igor L. Shlykov,PhD, ScD¹

¹Ural Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics named after V.D. Chaklin, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation

²Institute of Immunology and Physiology Ural Branch of RAS , Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation

³Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N.Yeltsin, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation

*Corresponding author: Irina P. Antropova, PhD, Senior Researcher, Federal State Institution «Ural Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics named after V. D. Chaklin». 7, Bankovsky alley, 620014, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation. Tel: 8-922-1105359. E-mail: aip.hemolab@mail.ru

Published: June 25, 2013

Abstract: 

Background: Aging is associated with an increased hypercoagulable state. Degenerative diseases of the large joints are also accompanied by increased coagulation activity. We investigated the effect of age on the hemostatic function in patients with osteoarthritis.

Material and Methods: The study included 192 patients with osteoarthritis admitted to the clinic for primary hip or knee arthroplasty. The patients were categorized into 5 age groups: the age group under 40 years, the 41–to-50 -year age group, the 51–to-60-year age group, the 61-to-70- year age group, and the age group over 70 years. The general blood clotting tests, platelet number, fibrinogen, antithrombin, protein C, TAT, D-dimer, vonWillebrand factor (vWF), PAI-1, ß-thromboglobulin were determined.

Results: Among patients with osteoarthritis, the antithrombin III level significantly decreased by the age of 50; however, above the age of 60 there was a distinct decrease in platelet count, and over the age of 70 the activity of the extrinsic coagulation pathway and the plasminogen level dropped significantly. TAT and D-dimer levels were elevated in most of the patients.

Conclusion: The decrease in platelet count coupled with the activity of the extrinsic coagulation pathway in elderly osteoarthritic patients may increase blood loss during total arthroplasty; also, the drop in the anticoagulant and fibrinolytic potential may play a negative role in strengthening the prothrombotic state during the postoperative period.

Keywords: 
aging; hemostatic system; arthritis.
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Int J Biomed. 2013; 3(2):90-93. © 2013 International Medical Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved.