α₂-Macroglobulin, α₁-Antitrypsin, and Antithrombin III in Plasma and Serum during Fibrinolytic Therapy with Urokinase

Abstract

The concentrations of antiproteases in plasma and serum were followed during treatment with urokinase or glucose in patients with recent myocardial infarction. The rise in α₁-antitrypsin is probably related to the infarction per se. The drop in α₂-macroglobulin during urokinase therapy supports the role of α₂-macroglobulin as the most important antiplasmin. The rise in serum antithrombin III during urokinase infusion is probably due to plasmin proteolysis of coagulation factors with resulting hypocoagulability, resembling the effect of oral anticoagulants.

Key Words:

• Anticoagulation
• antiplasmins
• antithrombin
• fibrinolytic therapy
• myocardial infarction
• urokinase therapy