Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between pre-treatment plasma fibrinogen levels and common prognostic clinico-pathological parameters in patients presenting with OSCC.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-one participants were recruited at presentation to Kenyatta National and University of Nairobi Dental Hospitals. All patients had detailed medical history, thorough clinical examination, radiographs, and histopathological examination of their biopsies. Socio-demographic and Clinico-pathologic parameters were recorded. Plasma fibrinogen concentration was determined on a blood sample from the participants by the prothrombin-time- derived fibrinogen (FIB_PT) assay.

Results: Most of the patients were above the age of 40 years and an almost 1:1 male to female ratio. The mean pre-intervention plasma fibrinogen level was 543.7 mg/dl, with a range of 299 mg/dl to 911 mg/dl. Thirty patients (96.8%) had elevated pre-intervention plasma fibrinogen levels above the upper reference level of 362 mg/dl. There was a statistically significant higher mean plasma fibrinogen level among female patients than the male (CI, p=0.017). The difference in plasma fibrinogen levels among patients above and those below 50 years was not statistically significant. There was a general up-regulation of plasma fibrinogen levels in the more severe disease status. The difference in fibrinogen levels in the more severe disease and less severe disease status was not statistically significant in this study.

Conclusion: Consistent with other studies, it was shown that plasma fibrinogen levels were up- regulated in the OSCC. Further studies are necessary to determine the significance of elevated pre- intervention plasma fibrinogen levels in the prognostication of the disease.

Keywords: Computed tomography; Chi-squared test; Mann-Whitney U test; Pathology