Plasma coagulation factor VII activity and its correlates in healthy men

OBJECTIVE - The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma coagulation factor VII activity and its correlates in healthy Australian men. DESIGN - Cross-sectional study. Setting: Free living subjects. Subjects: A total of 139 healthy Australian males aged 20-55 y with widely varying intakes of individual fatty acids. OUTCOME MEASURES - The concentration of phospholipid fatty acids and the parameters of biochemistry were analysed by standard methods. Citrated plasma factor VII activity was measured by using the ACL 200 system with commercially available kits. RESULTS - In the stepwise multiple regression, controlled for age, body mass index and dietary groups, the two most important variables of factor VII activity were selected in the forward entry model with R-2 = 0.474 and P < 0.0001 from 19 independent variables, which were significantly correlated with plasma factor VII activity in age-adjusted bivariate analysis where significance was considered at P < 0.01. Plasma factor VII activity was strongly negatively correlated with prothrombin time (PT) (Std. Coeff. -0.550), and significantly positively correlated with plasma phospholipid (PL) stearic acid (Std. Coeff. 0.285). CONCLUSIONS - Increased factor VII activity was associated with shortening of PT. All types of fatty-acid concentrations of PLs were significantly positively correlated with factor VII activity; however, stearic acid was more potent than other fatty acids in healthy Australian men. Sponsorship: Meat Research Corporation of Australia.