Lupus anticoagulant and the fibrinolytic system in young patients with stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our purpose was to assess the presence of lupus anticoagulant and fibrinolytic system abnormalities in young patients with stroke.

METHODS: We studied 33 consecutive ischemic patients aged < 50 years. Lupus anticoagulant was screened by four different coagulation tests, and the fibrinolytic system was studied by analyzing tissue plasminogen activator antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity.

RESULTS: Six patients (18%), two of whom were affected by systemic lupus erythematosus, had lupus anticoagulant. Plasminogen activator inhibitor activity was significantly higher in those positive for lupus anticoagulant than in those negative for lupus anticoagulant and control subjects (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: In young patients with stroke, lupus anticoagulant is associated with an imbalance of the fibrinolytic system as a result of higher levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor.