Coagulation activation in patients with Binswanger disease

Abstract

Background: A hypercoagulable state is often associated with an acute stroke in cerebrovascular disease (CVD). However, in Binswanger disease (BD), no information is available on the coagulation-fibrinolysis pathway except for the presence of high plasma fibrinogen levels. Objective: To determine the association of BD and coagulation-fibrinolysis pathway activation. Patients and Methods: We examined the levels of fibrinogen, thrombin- antithrombin complex, prothrombin fragment(1+2), and cross-linked D-dimer in 17 patients with BD, 24 neurologic patients without CVD, and 26 patients with lacunar infarction in either the acute or chronic stage. Results: As compared with the non-CVD and lacunar infarction groups, the patients with BD had significantly elevated levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex (P