Related Experiment Videos
Stroke in a young adult with familial plasminogen disorder
A J Furlan1, F V Lucas, R Craciun
1Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44106.
Background:
We report a new plasminogen disorder detected in a 29-year-old man with a cerebellar infarct. To our knowledge, plasminogen disorders have not been previously linked with stroke.
Summary Of Report:
Tests for well-recognized causes of stroke were negative. However, a screening hypercoagulation profile indicated low functional levels of plasminogen activity. Immunologic plasminogen (Laurell technique) was 64% of normal (normal level, 80-130%). The rate of plasmin generation induced by adding urokinase to plasma was also low. Plasminogen activator, free protease, and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor levels were normal. Family studies detected a similar plasminogen abnormality in the patient's mother and 9-year-old son, both of whom are asymptomatic.
Conclusions:
Our patient shows a congenital, heterozygous, functionally abnormal plasminogen. Although the exact relationship to stroke is unclear, we suggest screening young patients with unexplained stroke for plasminogen defects using commercially available assay systems.