Economy Class Syndrome

Introduction

The mechanism of blood clot formation under the stagnant flow conditions has been elucidated for the first time by the Institute of Physics and Chemical Research. It is clinically well known that blood generally does not coagulate while circulating in a living body, but is apt to coagulate if blood flow becomes stagnant. The economy class syndrome, in which passengers who have kept sitting on the airline seats for a long time face difficulty in breathing due to blood clots produced in the lower limb veins, is one of its examples. However, the mechanism of blood clot formation during blood stagnation was not understood thus far.

Makoto Kaibara of the supermolecular science laboratory analyzed the blood coagulation reaction in an artificial blood vessel model. Through biochemical research, his group proved that the slower the blood flow the easier blood clots are produced. They also verified that the protein, which causes blood coagulation is an enzyme called elastase that exists on erythrocyte membrane surface. This enzyme causes the coagulation by activating factor IX that is one of the 12 coagulation factors. The results are expected to be useful for diagnosis and prevention of economy class syndrome. The research team will promote elucidation of molecular mechanisms such as the reason why F-IX is activated by elastase under stagnant flow conditions.

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Science & Technology Wing Embassy of India
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Tokyo 102-0074, Japan
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