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Acetaldehyde is the first metabolite of ethanol and has the potential to react with proteins and alter their function. This study evaluated the function of clotting proteins that had been preincubated with acetaldehyde as compared to those incubated with buffer or ethanol as controls. Thrombin, fibrinogen, thromboplastin, or whole plasma were preincubated with 1.8-447 mM acetaldehyde, 1.7-429 mM ethanol, or buffer for varying time periods prior to use in a clotting assay. Clot formation was measured with an automatic fibrometer. Acetaldehyde prolonged the clotting time but ethanol did not. These experiments indicate that circulating acetaldehyde would have the potential to react with proteins of the clotting system and alter their function. Therefore, it is possible that not all of the abnormalities in coagulation in alcohol abusers result from inadequate hepatic synthesis. Perhaps some of the deranged coagulation may be the result of the interaction of acetaldehyde with coagulation proteins.

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