Changes in protease inhibitors after acute myocardial infarction

Plasma levels of fibrinogen, alpha1-antitrypsin, alpha2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III, and C1 inactivator were measured serially for 10 days in 11 patients after acute myocardial infarction. Both fibrinogen and alpha1-antitrypsin rose markedly to reach peak levels 5-7 days after infarction while C1 inactivator levels rose slowly with the highest observed mean level on the 10th postinfarction day. Neither antithrombin III nor alpha2-macroglobulin changed significantly after myocardial infarction. No relationship between C1 inactivator levels and either fibrinogen or alpha1-antitrypsin was found in a study of 30 patients with a variety of disorders while fibrinogen and alpha1-antitrypsin levels were significantly correlated.

A comparative trial of large doses of ketoprofen and indomethacin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

A 4-weeks' double-blind, crossover study in 30 patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis is reported using 300 mg ketoprofen per day and 150 mg indomethacin per day. Both drugs had similar effects upon the patients' subjective improvement of pain. Objectively, the results also suggest that ketoprofen may be more effective in reducing the articular index, i.e. a superior analgesic effect. Further studies are underway to assess the value of ketoprofen administered in high dosage for longer duration.

Changes in coagulation factors following acute myocardial infarction in man

The whole blood clotting time, plasma fibrinogen and individual coagulation factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII were serially measured in 14 patients over a 10-day period following acute myocardial infarction. A further six patients with similar symptoms but without evidence of myocardial infarction were also studied. The whole blood clotting time was significantly shorter within the first 24 h after infarction than on subsequent days. There were significant increases in the levels of fibrinogen and of factors VIII, IX, and XI and a significant decrease in factor XII in the patients who had sustained a myocardial infarction. The patients without myocardial infarction had no significant change in any of the coagulation factors measured.

Fibrinolytic activity in malignant disease

Resting fibrinolytic activity and fibrinolytic capacity were compared in 31 patients with malignant disease and in 24 control subjects without malignant disease. Patients with malignant disease had a lower mean fibrinolytic activity: this was particularly marked in those with disseminated disease. In contrast, patients with malignant disease had a fibrinolytic capacity which did not differ from that of the control subjects.