Persistent spontaneous heparinaemia in systemic mastocytosis.

A case of systemic mastocytosis with lymphatic, digestive, nervous and bone involvement and with persistent heparinaemia is described. The true heparin nature of the circulating anticoagulant was proved by the conventional titrimetric method with protamine sulphate and by the new specific amidolytic assay of its Xa-inhibiting properties. This human circulating heparin displayed a low specific activity as expressed by its activity/weight ratio.