13 Jun
12:00

PhD Conferral Mr. Jelle J. Posthuma, MSc.

Supervisor: prof.dr. H. ten Cate
Co-supervisor: dr. H.M.H. Spronk

Keywords: thrombosis, atherosclerosis, clotting factors, erythropoietin

"Haemostatic and Cellular Effects of Coagulation Proteases; exploring new areas of pleiotropy"

Many consider sport a healthy activity. However, increasing numbers of patients develop blood clots during physical activity, resulting in deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism. This dissertation shows that prolonged and intense exercise results in activation of blood coagulation. It also describes how processes involved in blood coagulation can influence other bodily processes. For instance, substances regulating blood coagulation (clotting factors) play a role in cardiovascular disease. They can have both protective and harmful effects. Elevated clotting factor levels tend to increase atherosclerosis, whereas low clotting factor levels prevent against atherosclerosis. This means that the use of anticoagulants can contribute to better atherosclerosis treatment. Clotting factors seem to play an important role in sport-related vascular problems as well. For instance, endofibrosis is significantly more common in cyclists. This condition is characterised by the formation of scar tissue in the pelvic arteral wall, which leads to reduced lower limb perfusion. This dissertation shows that increased numbers of clotting factors are present in the vascular wall of endofibrosis-affected blood vessels. Clotting factors probably activate processes in the vascular wall that stimulate local scar tissue formation.

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