Plasma and urine beta-thromboglobulin concentration in patients with deep
vein thrombosis
AC de Boer, P Han, AG Turpie, R Butt, A Zielinsky and E Genton
Plasma and urine beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) were measured in 52 patients
with established deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and in 100 patients with
clinically suspected DVT but with a negative venogram. Both plasma BTG
(geometric mean 54: 95% range 12--239 ng/ml) and urine BTG (0.25; 0.03--3.1
ng/ml) were significantly elevated (p less than 0.005) in patients with DVT
compared to symptomatic patients with a negative venogram (plasma BTG 32,
9--112 ng/ml; urine BTG 0.12, 0.02-- 0.58 ng/ml). Sensitivity (35%) and
specificity (80%) of the plasma BTG assay for the diagnosis of DVT were
low. The urine BTG assay had a sensitivity of 37% but a specificity of
100%. There was a significant correlation between plasma and urine BTG (r =
0.68, p less than 0.005). Serial BTG measurements were made in urine (40
patients) and plasma (20 patients) from high-risk neurosurgical cases who
were screened with 125I-fibrinogen leg scanning and impedance
plethysmography. BTG was elevated postoperatively and returned to normal
within 2 or 3 days, but rose again in 10 patients in association with the
development of DVT. The rise of BTG preceded the uptake of 125I-fibrinogen
and lasted for only a few days. The return to normal of BTG was not related
to treatment with anticoagulants. While measurement of BTG in plasma and
urine is of limited value in the clinical diagnosis of venous thrombosis,
the data indicate platelet activation occurs in venous thrombosis, but is
maximal or perhaps limited to the initial phase of thrombus development.
Volume 58,
Issue 4,
pp. 693-698,
10/01/1981
Copyright © 1981 by The American Society of Hematology
