Study of the fibrinolytic system in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis and the effect of triglycyl lysine vasopressin

ABSTRACT

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [SHF] has several mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is the increase in the fibrinolytic activity. This proved in the present work by studying ten patients with SHF who were bleeders and other six patients with SHF, but non-bleeders, both were compared with a control group composed of six subjects. Routine laboratory investigations, liver function tests and upper GIT endoscopy were performed. The fibrinolytic activity was investigated before and after glypressin infusion of 2 mg over 15 minutes by Euglobulin lysis time, FDPs and antithrombin III. The study proved an increase in the fibrinolytic system activity in patients with SHF. The second part of the study was to clear the effect of glypressin on the fibrinolytic system. This is because vasopressin is used as a line of medical treatment of bleeding varices was found to increase the fibrinolytic activity. This is considered as a major disadvantage. This study proved that glypressin, which is a synthetic analogue of vasopressin, has no significant effect on the fibrinolytic system activity