Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis
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Clin. Appl. Thromb. Hemost. · Jul 2001
Letter Case ReportsCerebral vein thrombosis and lupus anticoagulant antibodies.
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Thrombin is a central bioregulator of coagulation and is therefore a key target in the therapeutic prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The current mainstays of anticoagulation treatment are heparins, which are indirect thrombin inhibitors, and coumarins, such as warfarin, which modulate the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent proteins. Although efficacious and widely used, heparins and coumarins have limitations because their pharmacokinetics and anticoagulant effects are unpredictable, with the risk of bleeding and other complications resulting in the need for close monitoring with their use. ⋯ Such compounds inhibit thrombin by covalently binding to it, but this can result in toxicity and nonspecific binding. The development of reversible noncovalent DTIs, such as inogatran and melagatran, has resulted in safer, more specific and predictable anticoagulant treatment. Oral DTIs, such as ximelagatran, are set to provide a further breakthrough in the prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis.
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Clin. Appl. Thromb. Hemost. · Jul 2001
Plasma levels of total plasminogen activator inhibitor-I (PAI-I) and tPA/PAI-1 complex in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
In this study, we examined changes in the plasma levels of total plasminogen activator inhibitor-I (PAI-I) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA)/PAI-I complex in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and in those with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) to investigate the fibrinolytic function and its relation to organ failure. The plasma levels of total PAI-1 and tPA/PAI-I complex were significantly higher in patients with DIC, pre-DIC, and TTP than in those with non-DIC. The plasma levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex (PPIC), D-dimer, thrombomodulin (TM), total PAI-I, and tPA/PAI-I complex were significantly higher in patients with organ failure than in those without organ failure. ⋯ The plasma levels of total PAI-I, but not those of tPA/PAI-I complex, were significantly increased in patients with sepsis or with solid cancer. In all cases, total PAI-I or tPA/PAI-I complex was not significantly correlated with any hemostatic marker. Measurement of total PAI-I and tPA/PAI-I complex may be useful in the diagnosis of DIC.