Elevation Factors of Fibrinogen in the Elderly Koreans

Plasma fibrinogen is risk factor of vascular disease including stroke, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Many studies have confirmed that high plasma fibrinogen levels are related with age, obesity, cholesterol, alcohol consumption, and genotype. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fibrinogen genotype and other characteristics on the plasma fibrinogen levels in the elderly Koreans. For this study the blood samples were collected from 178 healthy elderly Koreans (102 males and 76 females, $55{\sim}80$ year olds). The blood samples were analyzed by smoking status, cholesterol levels, genotype, age, exercise, drinking, and gender. The plasma fibrinogen was assayed by clotting method, cholesterol being assayed by cholesterol oxidase method. The $\beta$-fibrinogen genotype was detected by PCR of relevant region and digestion with Alu I. The alleres with the restriction site and the non cleavable alleres were designated $A_1$ and $A_2$. In conclusion, genotype $A_1A_2$ and exercise are increased and associated with plasma fibrinogen levels. But, there were no significant differences by smoking, gender, age, drinking and cholesterol.