LupusAnticoagulant andtheFibrinolytic System inYoungPatients WithStroke

Background andPurpose: Ourpurposewas toassessthepresenceoflupus anticoagulant andfibrinolytic system abnormalities inyoungpatients withstroke. Methods: We studied 33consecutive ischemic patients aged<50years.Lupusanticoagulant was screened byfourdifferent coagulation tests, andthefibrinolytic system was studied byanalyzing tissue plasminogen activator antigen andplasminogen activator inhibitor activity. Results: Sixpatients (18%), twoofwhomwere affected bysystemic lupuserythematosus, hadlupus anticoagulant. Plasminogen activator inhibitor activity was significantly higher inthose positive forlupus anticoagulant thaninthosenegative forlupusanticoagulant andcontrol subjects (p<0.001). Conclusions: Inyoungpatients withstroke, lupus anticoagulant isassociated withan imbalance of the fibrinolytic system asa result ofhigher levels ofplasminogen activator inhibitor. (Stroke 1993;24:368-370)