Plasmin Activity, Plasminogen Levels and Concentrations and Functional Activities of Antiplasmins During Septicemia

Recent studies have indicated that the fibrinolytic system becomes activated during endotoxemia in animals and septicemia in man. In the present study we have used chromogenic peptide substrate assays to measure plasmin activity and “immediate” and “total” antiplasmin activities in plasma samples from normal subjects and patients with septicemia. Plasma concentrations of plasminogen (Pg), α₂ antiplasmin (α₂AP), α₂-macroblobulin (α₂M) and α₁-antitrypsinla (α₁AT) were also determined. In samples from patients with fatal sepsis low levels of Pg, α₂ AP and α₂ M were found together with reduced “immediate” and “total” an antiplasmin activities. Plasmin activity and α₁ AT levels were higher than normal. Three patients who recovered following septicemia had higher Pg and α₂ AP concentrations than those who died and functional antiplasmin activities were within the normal ranges. Out results confirm that the fibrinolytic system becomes activated during septicemia and in sepsis of fatal outcome a marked consumption of Pg and α₂ AP occurs. In our limited number of recovery patients the fibrinolytic system appeared to have been less activated than in those who died.