t-Plasminogen activator and von Willebrand factor in patients with unstable angina

Abstract

We investigated whether the clinical evolution of symptoms in patients admitted with unstable angina is associated with changes in t-plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA) and von Willebrand (vW) factor levels. Concentrations of vW factor antigen and t-PA antigen were measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay method in 10 patients who became clinically stable within 24 h of admission and remained so for 5 days. A significant rise in morning t-PA plasma level occurred 24 h after the admission (15.15 +/- 2.1 ng/ml, P < 0.05), whereas the vW factor remained unchanged. No significant changes were found in the night concentration in t-PA and vW factor during the 5 day period. Thus t-PA level is significantly raised 24 h after admission in patients with unstable angina who stabilize in response to medical treatment.