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PA Merlini, D Ardissino, KA Bauer, L Oltrona, A Spinola, P Diotallevi, RD Rosenberg and PM Mannucci
2nd Division of Cardiology, Ca'Granda Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
In patients with myocardial infarction, thrombolytic therapy induces a
paradoxical activation of the hemostatic mechanism. In patients with
unstable angina, the effect of thrombolysis on the coagulation cascade is
unknown. We prospectively measured the plasma concentrations of prothrombin
fragment 1 + 2 and fibrinopeptide A in consecutive patients with unstable
angina randomized to receive placebo alone (n = 23), streptokinase
1,500,000 IU over 1 hour followed by a 48-hour placebo infusion (n = 21),
or streptokinase 250,000 over 1 hour followed by a continuous infusion of
100,000 IU per hour over 48 hours (n = 20). All the patients received
intravenous heparin for 72 hours. The plasma levels of the different
markers were measured at baseline, 90 minutes, 24 hours, and 48 hours after
the start of therapy. The median baseline plasma concentrations of
prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and fibrinopeptide A were similar in the three
treatment groups. In comparison with placebo, an increase in plasma
prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and fibrinopeptide A, was observed after 90
minutes in the two groups receiving thrombolysis. After 24 and 48 hours,
the prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 levels remained significantly higher only in
the patients receiving the 48-hour streptokinase infusion. In patients with
unstable angina, thrombolytic therapy induces an activation of the
hemostatic mechanism, despite concomitant heparin administration; in those
receiving a prolonged streptokinase infusion, the activation of coagulation
persists for as long as the drug is administered.
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| Copyright © 1995 by American Society of Hematology Online ISSN: 1528-0020 | |||||||||