FIBRINOLYTIC ABNORMALITIES IN 2 DIFFERENT CUTANEOUS MANIFESTATIONS OFVENOUS DISEASE

Background: Chronic venous insufficiency may be associated with lipode rmatosclerosis or atrophie blanche. Coagulation abnormalities may be r elated to these cutaneous disorders. Objective: Our purpose was to det ermine whether fibrinolytic abnormalities exist in patients with lipod ermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche. Methods: A case control study of patients with venous disease and atrophie blanche or Lipodermatosclero sis was performed. Plasma levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA ) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in a resting and venou s occluded state were measured. Results: Plasma levels of PAI-1 were d ifferent 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 ha d milder elevations of PAI-1 in the resting and venous occluded state (p = 0.06). Conclusion: Fibrinolytic abnormalities are present in pati ents with venous disease. These abnormalities are different between pa tients with lipodermatosclerosis and patients with atrophie blanche.