Changes in the fibrinolytic activity of the leg veins in response to venous occlusion in patients with varicose veins complicated and uncomplicated with venous ulcers

ABSTRACT

Forty two male subjects participated in this study. They were divided into 12 controls, 16 patients with uncomplicated primary varicosis of great saphenous vein, and 14 patients with primary varicosis and venous ulcers. Fasting blood samples were taken before and after 10 min venous occlusion from a dorsal vein of the foot of the diseased side and analyzed for euglobulin clot lysis time [ECLT], levels of tissue plasminogen activator [t-PA] and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1[PAI-1]. ECLT and level of PAI-1 are significantly higher, whereas level of t-PA is significantly lower in patients with venous ulcers than those with uncomplicated varicosis and in both groups than controls. Venous occlusion has produced significant shortening of ECLT and lowering of PAI-1 level in all groups, whereas the rise of t- PA level after occlusion was not significant. The effect of venous occlusion on ECLT, t-PA and PAI-1 levels was less marked in patients with venous ulcers than those with uncomplicated varicosis and in the last group than healthy subjects: