Increased fibrinolysis and amyloidosis.

We studied three patients with amyloidosis who had a significant hemorrhagic disorder secondary to increased fibrinolysis. In two of the three patients, bleeding was one of the major initial problems; in the other patient, bleeding occurred later in the course of the disease. All three patients were men with primary or myeloma-associated amyloidosis (ie, immunoglobulin-related or AL). None of the patients had significantly impaired liver function at the time of the diagnosis of increased fibrinolysis. At admission, fibrinogen levels were 60, 170, and 90 mg/dL in the three patients. All three patients had short euglobulin clot lysis times (less than 30 minutes) and evidence of in vitro clot lysis. One patient appeared to respond to aminocaproic acid (EACA). In patients with amyloidosis and bleeding, fibrinolytic tests should be done; in patients with increased fibrinolysis, a diagnosis of amyloidosis should be considered.