Quantitative changes of hemostatic molecular markers were studied in p
atients with nephrotic syndrome. The plasma levels of fibrinopeptide A
(FPA), thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), products of thrombin
activation, and fragment F1 + 2 (F1 + 2), a product of prothrombin act
ivation, were measured by enzyme immunoassay in 21 patients with nephr
otic syndrome and in 16 normal controls. The mean value of FPA was 17.
5 +/- 7.5 ng/ml(mean +/- SD) in nephrotic patients and 4.5 +/- 0.3 ng/
ml in normal controls (P < 0.02); F1 + 2 concentration was 1.4 +/- 0.3
ng/ml in nephrotic patients and 0.5 +/- 0.1 ng/ml in normal controls
(P < 0.001); TAT level was 1.0 +/- 0.3 mu g/l in nephrotic patients an
d 0.2 +/- 0.1 mu g/l in normal controls (P < 0.05). These data indicat
ed intravascular hemostasis activation. Based on these results, we pro
pose that low antithrombin III level in nephrotic patients may be due
to both urinary loss and intravascular consumption. (C) 1993 Wiley-Lis
s, Inc.