The plasma levels of activated thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor and thrombomodulin in Behçet Disease and their association with thrombosis

ObjectiveTo investigate the plasma levels of activated thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (aTAFI) and thrombomodulin (TM) in Behçet disease (BD) and their relationship with thrombosis.MethodsPlasma aTAFI and TM levels were measured by ELISA in 89 patients with BD (18 having venous thrombosis) and in 86 healthy controls.ResultsCompared with healthy controls, the BD group had significantly lower levels of aTAFI (13.49 ± 8.88 µg/ml vs. 26.76 ± 11.57 µg/ml, p < 0.0001) and significantly higher levels of TM (3.26 ± 1.85 ng/ml vs. 2.6 ± 0.69 ng/ml, p = 0.0003). Neither aTAFI, nor TM levels differed significantly between BD patients with and without thrombosis (p > 0.05). Despite a tendency to positive correlation (r = 0.37, p = 0.0004) between plasma levels of aTAFI and TM in healthy controls, there was a tendency for negative correlation (r = -0.51, p < 0.0001) between these two parameters in BD patients.ConclusionThe plasma aTAFI and TM levels do not seem to be related with the presence of thrombosis observed in BD. Increased plasma TM levels in BD may simply reflect endothelial cell activation and dysfunction.