title: A fibrinolytic defect in chronic back pain syndromes.
abstract: Blood fibrinolytic activity was measured in 18 subjects with severe chronic back pain and 18 age and sex matched controls. The patients showed evidence of defective fibrinolysis--namely, significant prolongation of the euglobulin clot-lysis time, reduction in fibrin-plate lysis-area and plasminogen levels, and increase in levels of the fibrinolytic inhibitors, alpha 2 antiplasmin and alpha 2 macroglobulin. This defect could be associated with fibrin deposition and scar formation and be responsible for the development and/or perpetuation of chronic inflammation and scarring at sites of damage in the spine. Enhancement of fibrinolytic activity may offer a new approach to the management of these back problems, and a double-blind controlled trial is in progress.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008259:Macroglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000032:analysis; D013577:Syndrome; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D008259:Macroglobulins; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010958:Plasminogen