Fibrinogen survival and fibrinolysis in acute leukemia.

Fibrinogen survival using 125I-labelled homologous fibrinogen was studied in 17 adults with acute leukemia. Five patients in complete remission had normal fibrinogen survival and turnover rate. Five of 6 patients undergoing induction therapy and 4 of 6 in relapse had shortened fibrinogen survival; the turnover rate was increased in all 12 patients. Nine of 12 patients with active disease had elevated levels of fibrinogen degradation products in the serum. Serial coagulation studies did not support the diagnosis of overt disseminated intravascular coagulation. There was no correlation between the morphological type of leukemia, chemotherapy, the presence of fever and sepsis, or liver dysfunction and fibrinogen survival. Other possible causes of the accelerated fibrinogen turnover in patients with active disease are discussed.