Human prothrombin metabolism in normal man and in hypocoagulable subjects

S. S. Shapiro; J. Martinfz

doi:10.1172/JCI106095

¹Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research, Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

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¹Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research, Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

Find articles by Martinfz, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published in Volume 48, Issue 7 on July 1, 1969
J Clin Invest. 1969;48(7):1292–1298. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI106095.
© 1969 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published July 1, 1969 - Version history

The metabolism of human prothrombin labeled with radioactive iodine was studied in seven normal subjects and four hemophilic patients. Results in the normal subjects were: plasma volume, 37.6±3.8 ml/kg; plasma prothrombin concentration, 303±40 U/ml (0.153±0.02 mg/ml); prothrombin half-life, 2.81±0.51 days; total plasma prothrombin pool, 5.72±0.62 mg/kg, representing 64.1±9.1% of total body prothrombin; fractional catabolic rate, 42.5±12.4% of the plasma pool per day; prothrombin synthesis rate, 2.43±0.76 mg/kg per day. Results in the hemophilic patients did not differ significantly from normal. Circulating products of prothrombin activation could not be demonstrated in normal individuals or hemophilic subjects. The data suggest that continuous physiologic activation of the blood coagulation mechanism plays only a small part, if any, in the normal catabolism of prothrombin.

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