Summary
Underlying disorders of the coagulation system such as inhibitor deficiencies or decreased
fibrinolysis are common in patients suffering from venous thrombosis. They may lead
to the necessity of a lifelong prophylaxis. Prompt diagnosis is obviously to the patients
benefit. We investigated 22 patients suffering from venous thromboses for the inhibitors
antithrombin III (ATIII), protein C, and protein S during the first 8 to 12 days after
admission to hospital and in addition after withdrawal from anticoagulant treatment
after several months. At the day of admission ATIII and protein C levels were comparable
to those several months later, but after 2 days they shifted downward or upward, respectively.
Protein S did not shift during the period of hospitalisation, but was initially slightly
lower than several months later. For inhibitors the day of admission to hospital is
most suitable to take the samples. About 50% of the patients still had elevated activation
markers (prothrombin fragments F1+2, thrombin-antithrombin complex TAT, and D-dimers)
after several months.
