Increased releasable vascular plasminogen activator and a bleeding diathesis.
A 66-year-old man with metastatic prostatic carcinoma treated with high-dose (5 mg) diethylstilbestrol therapy underwent orchiectomy to allow discontinuation of estrogen. An extensive ecchymosis developed postoperatively in an area covered by elastic dressing tape; subsequently, it was learned that the patient had a recent history of frequent ecchymoses with mild trauma that proceeded to vesiculation. His alpha2-antiplasmin level was 132 percent, fibrin split products 4 micrograms/ml, and fibrinogen 293 mg/dl; routine coagulation results were normal. However, the level of releasable vascular plasminogen activator in a specimen drawn prior to surgery was 3.6 CTA units/ml, the highest value ever reported in this laboratory.
D000368:Aged; D001808:Blood Vessels; D003250:Constriction; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000097:blood; D006474:Hemorrhagic Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014680:Veins
D010960:Plasminogen Activators