PB1536 - Plasmin generation and its determinants in the third trimester of normal pregnancy

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

18:30 – 19:30 ET

Room: Exhibition

Presenting Author(s)

Helen C. Okoye, MD (she/her/hers)

Consultant Haematologist
College of Medicine, University of Nigeria
Enugu, Nigeria

Co-Author(s)

Theresa U. Nwagha, MD, MPH, FMCPath, MSc (she/her/hers)

Consultant Haematologist
University of Nigeria , College of Medicine Ituku Ozalla Campus
Enugu, Enugu, Nigeria
JE

Joseph Enebe

Consultant
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, College of Medicine/Teaching Hospital, Parklane Enugu
Enugu, Enugu, Nigeria
CE

Chilota Efobi

Consultant
Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi campus Nnewi
Enugu, Enugu, Nigeria
ON

Oluomachi Nnachi

Consultant
Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki
Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
CO

Chika Okwor

Consultant
Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine. University of Nigeria Ituku-Ozalla campus, Enugu
Enugu, Enugu, Nigeria
Eyiuche D. Ezigbo, PhD (she/her/hers)

Senior Lecturer
eyiuche.ezigbo@unn.edu.ng
Enugu, Enugu, Nigeria

Background: Pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, is associated with changes in the fibrinolytic system that supports clot formation and reduces haemorrhagic risk. Imbalance in the system may occur and can be assessed by plasmin generation (PG). Certain factors are known to affect PG

Aims: To assess PG and its determinants during the third trimester of pregnancy using plasma D-dimer and plasmin-antiplasmin (PAP) complex levels

Methods: Healthy pregnant women who were in the third trimester of pregnancy were systematically recruited. Data on the obstetric history and body mass index (BMI) were collected and venous blood samples were taken for assessment of plasma levels of D-Dimer and PAP complex using the ELISA method. IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: We studied a total of 41 subjects with a mean age ±SD and gestational age ±SD of 30.68±4.69years and 34.78±3.34weeks respectively. The mean ± SD values of the D-Dimer and PAP complex were 194 ± 24 ng/mL and 175 ± 11 ng/mL respectively. Both D-Dimer and PAP complex showed a positive correlation with age, GA, and BMI classification, however only age was statistically significant (p-value 0.032 and 0.016 respectively). The multiple linear regression model showed that with every unit increase in age, D-Dimer and PAP complex increased by 2.0 (95% CI 0.4 – 3.6) ng/mL and 0.8 (95% CI 0.1 – 1.5) ng/mL respectively, after controlling for GA and BMI

Conclusion(s): D-Dimer and PAP levels increased with increasing age during the third trimester of pregnancy. This indicates that the age of the woman is an independent determinant of PG in the third trimester of pregnancy. If this finding is confirmed in larger studies, age should be considered while interpreting D-Dimer and PAP complex values in pregnancy.