Antithrombin deficiency in end-stage renal disease associated with paraplegia: effect of hemodialysis.

Plasma antithrombin III activity and concentration were determined in nine men with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). To determine the possible effects of hemodialysis measurements were repeated following dialysis. Values obtained in the SCI-ESRD group were compared with those obtained in a group of healthy volunteers and a group of 10 ambulatory men with ESRD. A normal pooled plasma was used as the internal standard for all assays. While antithrombin deficiency was observed in both uremic groups it was most severe in the group with SCI. Results demonstrated the association of antithrombin deficiency with ESRD and its potentiation in the presence of SCI. The mechanisms by which SCI compounds the uremia-induced antithrombin deficiency were not known. A mild increase in antithrombin level was noted following dialysis and was thought to be in part due to fluid removal by dialysis.