Editorial

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Abstract
Fibrin deposition as the basis for the formation of atherosclerotic intimal lesions was proposed more than a century ago. The concept, however, lay dormant until Duguid, and subsequently others, became convinced of its accuracy. A consequence of their studies has been a great interest in establishing evidence of hypercoagulability in clinical atherosclerotic states. The reports have been inconsistent and contradictory. It seems likely that investigators have not been uniformly alert to the technical difficulties. A control group cannot be assumed to be without intimal disease because clinical manifestations are absent. Clotting tests are least sensitive to quantitative variations of the coagulant factors in the range in which hypercoagulability may be presumed. Finally, there is by no means a parallel relationship between clotting in the test and thrombosis in the body.