title: Laboratory evaluation of fibrinolysis in patients with a history of myocardial infarction.
abstract: The aims of this study were to determine whether elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) activity after myocardial infarction reflects baseline PAI-1 or represents an acute-phase response secondary to the infarction, and to determine how tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity and total t-PA antigen levels in healthy control subjects differ from those in patients after myocardial infarction. Compared with healthy control subjects, patients studied 1-3 months after infarction had elevated levels of PAI-1 activity and fibrinogen but normal levels of C-reactive protein and von Willebrand factor antigen, whereas patients with a noncardiac acute-phase response showed elevation of all four proteins. Elevated PAI-1 activity in the absence of elevations in other acute-phase proteins suggests an intrinsic increase in PAI-1 secretion in the post-myocardial infarction group. In addition, when compared with healthy control subjects, post-myocardial infarction patients had higher levels of total t-PA antigen (bound and free t-PA) but lower t-PA activity and a lower percentage of active t-PA. Overall, survivors of myocardial infarction have reduced t-PA activity and increased PAI-1 activity that is not due to a prolonged acute-phase response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stratton
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator