[The blood coagulation system in progressive systemic scleroderma]

Twenty-five scleroderma patients have been studied to evaluate blood coagulative and fibrinolytic parameters. An increase in FVIII related activities and a reduction in fibrinolytic activity was observed. These changes may be related to the endothelial damage present scleroderma patients I the consequent "in loco" activation of blood coagulation may cause the microthrombosis that is very often observed in the earliest phases of the disease.