Review of studies with plasminogen concentrates and proposals for further therapeutic strategies with plasminogen concentrates.

Since the introduction of thrombolytic treatment based on the activation of plasminogen (PLG) by streptokinase (SK) and urokinase (UK) the search for new and improved methods has been continuing. The pivotal issue is how to achieve clot-specific fibrinolysis without producing systemic fibrinogenolysis. One out of various approaches to enhance lysis rates has been the use of PLG either alone or in combination with UK or SK in the light of the fact that fibrinolytic treatment, particularly using SK, is associated with a consumption of PLG, and that thrombi contain relatively small amounts of native PLG, however, are capable of incorporating added PLG in vitro. PLG-concentrates from various manufactures have been administered intravenously for treatment of deep venous thrombosis, mainly in combination with SK, and of pulmonary embolism in combination with UK. Local intracoronary and intraarterial administration in combination with UK has been reported in patients with myocardial infarction, and peripheral arterial occlusions, respectively. Lysis rates obtained in these studies were in most cases superior to results obtained with SK or UK alone, without increasing the incidence of bleeding complications. In addition, excellent results in larger group of patients with cerebral thrombosis were obtained with PLG alone. The encouraging results of these studies may be explained by the fact that all of the preparations used contained partially activated forms of PLG (commonly designated lys-PLG) to a greater or lesser extent. Lys-PLG has a higher affinity for fibrin than the native glu-PLG and is activated by UK or SK by a manyfold faster. These properties allow for a rapid formation of plasmin which--bound to fibrin--is also protected from the attack of neutralizing antiplasmin. The design and results of previous studies with lys-PLG concentrates will be reviewed and approaches to further improve fibrinolytic regimens with lys-PLG-concentrates discussed.