Concentration of fibrin monomer in pregnancy and during the postpartum period

• Published in: Annals of clinical biochemistry 2019-11, Vol.56 (6), p.692-700
• Main Authors: Kristoffersen, Ann Helen, Petersen, Per Hyltoft, Bjørge, Line, Røraas, Thomas, Sandberg, Sverre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0004-5632; 1758-1001
• DOI: 10.1177/0004563219869732

Background D-dimer increases during pregnancy and is problematic to use in the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism. Fibrin monomer represents an alternative biomarker for venous thromboembolism. However, to be useful in pregnancy, the fibrin monomer concentration should be stable throughout pregnancy and during postpartum. Methods To describe the course of fibrin monomer concentration during pregnancy and the postpartum period in healthy pregnant women and to compare their within-subject biological variation (CVI) with non-pregnant women. Blood samples were obtained every fourth week during pregnancy and three samples after delivery in 20 healthy women and every fourth week during a 40-week period in 19 healthy non-pregnant women. Fibrin monomer (STA Liatest FM, Stago) was analysed in duplicates for all samples. Concentrations of fibrin monomer in pregnant and non-pregnant women were compared and the CVI for fibrin monomer was calculated. Results The median fibrin monomer concentration in pregnant women was 6.2 mg/L (2.5 and 97.5 percentiles 3.7–10.8 mg/L) and in non-pregnant women 4.8 mg/L (3.6–8.2) (P