Hemostatic changes and serum levels of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) in patients with acute pancreatitis

Coagulation disorders may occur during acute pancreatitis (AP) episodes related to the severity. In this study, some important haemostatic system molecules including thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) levels were evaluated. In the present literature there was no study evaluating TAFI levels in patients with AP. Thirty three patients with AP (16 mild AP, 17 severe AP) were included in the study. Age and sex matched 30 volunteers were used as control, We measured plasma TAFI antigen levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in both groups. Platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen levels and TAFI levels showed no significant difference between study and control groups. Prothrombin time, INR, D-dimer and thrombin-antithrombin complex levels were found to be significantly higher in the study group compared to control group. Prothrombin time, fibrinogen levels, white blood cell count and C-reactive protein were found significantly higher in severe AP group compared to mild AP. There were positive correlations between C-reactive protein and prothrombin time, d-dimer and fibrinojen. We found that thrombus formation increases in patients with AP, especially in the severe form of the disease due to the activation of coagulation cascade and howower thrombus formation was not seen to be associated with TAFI. Further investigation are needed to evaluate coagulation disorders in AP.