[Hemostasis in burn patients and treatment with heparin. Relation to prognosis and infection. Pattern of blood levels of prekallikrein, alpha-2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha-2-antiplasmin].

In burnt patients with a fatal prognosis, the level of prekallikrein is initially low and further diminished. In burnt patients who survive, the initial decrease of the prekallikrein level is less pronounced and is progressively overcome, significantly by the sixth day. Moreover the decrease of the prekallikrein level occurs before and during clinical infection. In good prognosis patients, the level of alpha-2-macroglobulin remains low until day 20 and then increases in the noninfected patients while in fatal prognosis patients the level decreases. The level of antithrombin III and plasminogen is lower in fatal prognosis patients. These is no correlation between the level of antiplasmin and the outcome of burn injuries.