Introduction: An altered clotting or fibrinolytic system is shown to have prognostic relevance not only in vascular and coronary artery disease but in small cell lung cancer too. The close linkage between inflammation vascular damage and haemostasis led to the hypothesis that an altered clotting system can bee associated with chronic pulmonary disease. Patients and Method: Peripheral blood plasma of 174 patients (Asthma, COPD, Sarcoidosis, IPF, Cystic Fibrosis and Pulmonary Emboly) and 39 healthy controls was analysed concerning the concentration of Thrombin-Antithrombin III-Complex (TAT), Prothrombinfragments F 1+2 (F 1+2), D-Dimeres, activated Factor XII (F XIIa) and the activity of Plasminogen-Activator-Inhibitor 1(PAI). Results: A significant clotting activation could be detected in all patient groups compared to the controls. There was no association between Factor XII activation or decreased fibrinolytic activity and clotting activation detectable. Conclusion: Clotting activation is associated with non-malignant pulmonary disease. Underlying pathomechanisms such as Intrinsic System activation or association between inflammation and haemostasis could not be discovered. |