Plasmin-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor complex in plasma of patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation

Plasmin-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2PI) complex, an indicator of in vivo plasmin generation, was measured in the plasma of 48 patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasmin-alpha 2PI complex was markedly elevated to 7.9 +/- 4.26 mg/liter (mean +/- SD) in DIC at presentation, with normal values at less than 0.8 mg/liter. The concentration of plasmin-alpha 2PI complex changed in parallel with the course of DIC and decreased to 1.9 +/- 1.49 mg/liter (n = 28) in remission. Among various underlying disorders, DIC, in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, had the highest complex levels (mean 10.8 mg/liter), and septic patients had the lowest levels (mean 3.4 mg/liter). No significant correlation was found between FDP and plasmin-alpha 2PI complex. These results indicate that the quantitative assay of plasmin-alpha 2PI complex in plasma would be valuable in the assessment of hyperfibrinolysis in DIC.