Acute myocardial infarction as a systemic prothrombotic condition evidenced by increased von Willebrand factor protein over ADAMTS13 activity in coronary and systemic circulation

The aim of the present study is to clarify the roles of circulating ADAMTS13 and von Willebrand factor (VWF) in the formation of coronary artery thrombi in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Twenty-six AMI patients, 37 age-matched healthy controls, and 20 young controls were studied. Plasma ADAMTS13 activity and levels of VWF antigen (VWF: Ag) and unusually large VWF multimer (UL-VWFM) were measured in the femoral vein (FV), aortic root (Ao), and coronary sinus (Cs) immediately before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during the acute phase of AMI, as well as 6 months later. During the acute phase of AMI, plasma levels of VWF: Ag were similar in FV, Ao, and Cs, and were higher than those of age-matched control. In contrast, ADAMTS13 activity in three sampling points in AMI patients was similar to that of age-matched controls. Thus, the ratio of VWF: Ag to ADAMTS13 activity in the acute phase of AMI was significantly higher in all three sampled sites than that of age-matched controls. In the chronic phase, plasma levels of VWF: Ag, ADAMTS13 activity, and the ratio of VWF: Ag to ADAMTS13 activity were similar to those of age-matched controls. UL-VWFM was detected in the acute phase of AMI but not in the chronic phase. The present study showed that the plasma VWF: Ag levels are increased and ADAMTS13 activity is relatively decreased in both systemic and coronary circulation during the acute phase of AMI, suggesting that an imbalance between the enzyme and its substrate may play a role in the formation of occlusive thrombi in a coronary artery.