Assessment of plasma fibrinolytic system with use of chromogenic substrate

A block of tests employing a chromogenic substrate H-D-Val-Leu-Lys-pNA (S-2251, Kabi AB, Stockholm) is proposed for a quantitative assessment of the plasma fibrinolytic system. It allows measurement of spontaneous plasmin activity, plasminogen content, activator activity (ability of plasma to activate plasminogen), immediate and progressive antiplasmin levels and alpha2-macroglobulin. All these assays could be performed within 45 min using a total of 0.4 ml of plasmin.