Modulatory Effect of the Gastrointestinal Tract (Gut) on Fibrinolysis and Fibrinogen Derivatives

Abstract

We have investigated some components of the fibrinolytic system and fibrinogen derivatives in blood samples taken simultaneously from the human portal and cubital veins. In the first series the blood was drawn during laparotomy from 12 cholecystectomized, otherwise healthy patients. The mean value of euglobulin lysis time was significantly lower in the portal than in the cubital vein. The values of the fibrinogen, plasminogen, serial dilution protamine sulfate, and ethanol gelation tests in both samples were quite similar. In the second series blood was taken from eight patients with cancer of the gut and from six cholecystectomized patients. The staphylococcal clumping test (SCT) in serum was performed for fibrin degradation products (FDP) in samples from both veins. In patients with cancer the mean FDP level was significantly higher in the portal than in the cubital vein. In cholecystectomized patients the SCT was negative in samples from both veins. We conclude that fibrinogen pathway metabolism does not differ in the portal and cubital veins under normal conditions, whereas in neoplastic disease fibrinogen degradation is greater in the portal vein. We also suggest that the gut probably modulates fibrinolytic activity in normal conditions.

Key Words:

• Clearance
• mechanism
• fibrinogen
• derivatives
• fibrinolysis
• gastrointestinal tract
• vein
• portal