Factor VII in an Industrial Population

Abstract

Factor-VII levels were measured in members of an industrial population participating in a long-term prospective study of arterial disease. A modified semi-automated method with an artificially prepared factor-VII deficient plasma, one batch of freeze-dried thromboplastin and one freeze-dried pooled reference plasma was used throughout. All calculations were carried out on a programmable desk calculator.Mean factor-VII levels in men and in women never on oral contraceptives were similar (age-adjusted means 95.0% and 92.4% respectively). A very highly significant increase in factor VII was found in women on the low oestrogen contraceptive pill (age-adjusted mean 134.8% compared to 92.4% in women never on oral contraceptives).There was a highly significant rise in factor-VII activity with age in both men and women. In men, factor VII rose 0.45% per year, whereas in women it increased at the rate of 1.1% per year. The difference in the slopes of these regression lines for men and women was significant. At younger ages, the mean levels for women were lower than for men, while at older ages the reverse was true.No relationship with ABO blood groups or secretor status were found. Venepunctures noted as difficult appeared to have no effect on factor-VII levels.Factor VII is the coagulation factor required for the activation of factor X with tissue extracts. Increased levels of factor VII are described in pregnancy (Alexander et al, 1956;Rutherford et al, 1964; Amris & Starup, 1967) and in women on oral contraceptives (Rutherford et al,

Relationships between alcoholic beverages and cardiovascular risk factor levels in middle-aged men, the PRIME study

“…Factor VIIc was assayed in a regular one-stage system using rabbit thromboplastin. Factor VII-deficient substrate plasma was prepared from absorbed bovine plasma and concentrate of human Factors IX, X and II as described previously [42]. Results were expressed as a percentage of reference plasma.…”

Association of hypertensive status and its drug treatment with lipid and haemostatic factors in middle-aged men: the PRIME Study

“…Factor VII-deficient substrate plasma was prepared from absorbed bovine plasma and concentrate of human factors IX, X and II as described previously. 13 Results were expressed as a percentage of reference plasma. PAI-1 activity was measured by a two-stage amidolytic method using a commercially available kit (Spectrolyse/pl, Biopool, Umea, Sweden).…”

Diet and blood coagulation factor VII—a key protein in arterial thrombosis

“…It is not possible to discuss these other factors in detail within the limits of the present review, but some points can be made. Plasma FVIIc increases with age (Brozovic et al, 1974;Balleisen et al, 1985;Folsom et al, 1991). Body weight and body mass index are also positively associated with FVIIc (Balleisen et al, 1985;Folsom et al, 1991), and FVIIc declines when obese individuals loose weight (Folsom et al, 1993).…”

“…Postmenopausal women have higher FVIIc levels than premenopausal women of same age . There are only minor FVIIc differences between sexes in population surveys (Brozovic et al, 1974;Balleisen et al, 1985). However, previous dietary trials included mostly men and an interaction between diet and gender with respect to FVIIc cannot be excluded.…”