Summary
In view of reported associations between increased bleeding tendency and systemically
decreased α2-antiplasmin in patients with systemic amyloid deposition we studied α2-antiplasmin, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein and blood levels of locally produced
endothelial hemostasis factors in the acute and quiescent phase in 16 patients with
hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis - Dutch type (HCHWA-D).
None of the factors measured in the quiescent phase of the disease was abnormal. In
the acute phase, shortly after a stroke, only factor VIII: Ag was evidently elevated.
We concluded that systemic abnormalities in the part of the fibrinolysis system studied
are not likely to be responsible for multifocal and recurrent cerebral hemorrhages
in HCHWA-D. The role of an elevated factor VIII: Ag level in the acute phase is unclear.
