Decreased Fibrinolysis in Behçet’s Disease

Summary

The coagulation and fibrinolytic systems have been investigated in nine patients suffering from Behçet’s disease. Six of these had thrombophlebitis.

The results of these studies revealed markedly elevated fibrinogen concentration and increased factor VIII activity as well as a pronounced decrease in the spontaneous fibrinolytic activity. This latter finding may have resulted from the presence of a potent antiplasmin activity and that of an inhibitor of the plasminogen activator detected in these patients’ sera.

It is suggested that decreased fibrinolysis aggravates the thrombotic episodes frequently encountered in Behçet’s disease; accordingly treatment with fibrinolytic agents was found to offer marked benefits.

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