Hemorheology in systemic ultrahigh-dose thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase and urokinase

The course of fibrinogen (Fgen), red cell aggregation (RCA), plasma viscocity (PV), platelet aggregation (PA) and hematocrit (Hc) was studied in patients with ultrahigh - dose thrombolytic therapy (1.5 x 10(6) units/hour for 6 hours = 1 cycle) with streptokinase (SK) or urokinase (UK) over a period of 3 cycles. Both ultrahigh - dose SK and UK produced significant changes in the course of Fgen, RCA and PV, whereas PA (spontaneous and ADP-induced) and Hc remained unchanged. After termination of each cycle Fgen progressively increased while RCA and PV further decreased. The extent of alteration in cycle 1 - concerning the baseline values - was more pronounced with SK than with UK, but the overall effect of SK decreased through the consecutive cycles because of more rapid increase during the SK-free period. In UK-therapy hemorheological alterations were initially moderate but increased from cycle to cycle.