Fibrinogen-Associated Plasma Metabolites and Implications for Coagulation, Inflammation, and Vascular Diseases.

Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fibrinogen is a critical coagulation factor that plays an essential role in thrombosis and is elevated in individuals with chronic inflammation. Here, we used fibrinogen as a representative quantitative measure of pro-coagulant risk and evaluated metabolites associated with fibrinogen levels through non-targeted plasma metabolomic profiling (Ó³»­´«Ã½ and Metabolon platforms).METHODS: Our analysis included 10,533 individuals across six U.S. based cohorts representing diverse population groups. The cross-sectional relationship between each of 789 tested metabolites and plasma fibrinogen concentration was assessed with adjustment for relevant covariates such as age, sex, body mass index, and circulating lipoprotein levels.RESULTS: Meta-analysis of per-cohort results revealed 270 metabolites significantly associated with fibrinogen level (FDR adjusted p-value < 0.05). Lipid species such as glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and fatty acyls were prevalent among significantly associated metabolites; some of these may capture effects of inflammation, as supported by sensitivity analyses adjusted for C-reactive protein. Significant associations between fibrinogen levels and serotonin, thyroxine, and sex-hormone derivatives may capture endogenous influences on fibrinogen levels. Exogenous compounds and microbial co-metabolites significantly associated with fibrinogen also implicate lifestyle and microbiome risk-factors. Only a portion of fibrinogen-associated metabolites (30%) have been associated with a cardiovascular disease outcome in a prior study, suggesting the associations discovered here may provide insights on vascular biology which case-control studies may not yet be powered to detect.CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a growing list of metabolite biomarkers that may influence coagulation and inflammation pathways and may thereby contribute to vascular risk.

Year of Publication
2026
Journal
Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH
Date Published
01/2026
ISSN
1538-7836
DOI
10.1016/j.jtha.2025.12.016
PubMed ID
41519271
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