Fibrinolytic abnormalities in two different cutaneous manifestations of venous disease.
BACKGROUND
Chronic venous insufficiency may be associated with lipodermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche. Coagulation abnormalities may be related to these cutaneous disorders.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine whether fibrinolytic abnormalities exist in patients with lipodermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche.


METHODS
A case control study of patients with venous disease and atrophie blanche or lipodermatosclerosis was performed. Plasma levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in a resting and venous occluded state were measured.


RESULTS
Plasma levels of PAI-1 were different between the two groups of patients. The lipodermatosclerosis group had significantly higher levels of PAI-1 in both the resting and venous occluded states (p < 0.001). Patients with atrophie blanche had milder elevations of PAI-1 in the resting and venous occluded state (p = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Fibrinolytic abnormalities are present in patients with venous disease. These abnormalities are different between patients with lipodermatosclerosis and patients with atrophie blanche.
Margolis
D J
DJ
Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Kruithof
E K
EK
Barnard
M
M
Howe
K
K
Lazarus
G S
GS
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001284:Atrophy; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D012146:Rest; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D017445:Skin Diseases, Vascular / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator