T-PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR AND VON-WILLEBRAND-FACTOR IN PATIENTS WITH UNSTABLE ANGINA

We investigated whether the clinical evolution of symptoms in patients admitted with unstable angina is associated with changes in t-plasmin ogen activator antigen (t-PA) and von Willebrand (vW) factor levels. C oncentrations of vW factor antigen and t-PA antigen were measured by a n enzyme-linked immunoassay method in 10 patients who became clinicall y stable within 24 h of admission and remained so for 5 days. A signif icant rise in morning t-PA plasma level occurred 24 h after the admiss ion (15.15 +/- 2.1 ng/ml, P < 0.05), whereas the vW factor remained un changed. No significant changes were found in the night concentration in t-PA and vW factor during the 5 day period. Thus t-PA level is sign ificantly raised 24 h after admission in patients with unstable angina who stabilize in response to medical treatment.