THE MAINTENANCE OF A SUSTAINED THROMBOLYTIC STATE IN MAN. I. INDUCTION AND EFFECTS*

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Abstract
Thrombolytic states of long duration (30 hr) and of great intensity (plasma activities of 100-500 [mu]g fibrin lysed/hour/ml plasma) have been produced in man by the intravenous infusion of streptokinase. Normally the thrombolytic state was well tolerated, but some patients developed a hemorrhagic diathesis of mild to moderate severity. The aberrations contributing to the development of this diathesis have been partially elucidated and the concurrent use of intravenous hydrocortisone has been shown to prevent or at least greatly reduce the severity of the hemorrhagic diathesis. It was concluded that the induced thrombolytic state was well tolerated by man and that its use as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of thromboembolic disease was worthy of further investigation.