Lupus anticoagulant and the fibrinolytic system in young patients with stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to assess the presence of lupus anticoagulant and fibrinolytic system abnormalities in young patients with stroke.


METHODS
We studied 33 consecutive ischemic patients aged < 50 years. Lupus anticoagulant was screened by four different coagulation tests, and the fibrinolytic system was studied by analyzing tissue plasminogen activator antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity.


RESULTS
Six patients (18%), two of whom were affected by systemic lupus erythematosus, had lupus anticoagulant. Plasminogen activator inhibitor activity was significantly higher in those positive for lupus anticoagulant than in those negative for lupus anticoagulant and control subjects (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In young patients with stroke, lupus anticoagulant is associated with an imbalance of the fibrinolytic system as a result of higher levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor.
Ferro
D
D
Istituto di I Clinica Medica, University of Rome, Italy.
Quintarelli
C
C
Rasura
M
M
Antonini
G
G
Violi
F
F
D000328:Adult; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen
D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; D010455:Peptides; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen; D005340:Fibrinogen