Serial plasma fibrinogen changes accompanying sickle cell pain crisis.

Serial measurements of plasma fibrinogen concentrations have been made in nine homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD) patients during vaso-occlusive crisis. Fibrinogen was measured by the clot-weight technique. Changes in fibrinogen concentration showed a typical pattern, rising sharply and significantly to a maximum on approximately the second day of the onset of pain crisis and after treatment was instituted. Because of the well-defined and consistent response of this acute-phase reactant protein, this study suggests that serial measurements of fibrinogen could be used as a sensitive parameter to monitor the progression of sickle cell pain crisis.