[Effects of thrombolytic agents on pulmonary and venous clots in severe pulmonary embolism (author's transl)].

Thirty-eight patients admitted to hospital for pulmonary embolism of recent onset were divides into four treatment groups. Group I patients (10) received streptokinase in does of 250,000 units over 20 minutes, followed by 100,000 units/hour for a total of 24 hours. Group II patients (8) received urinary urokinase 4,500 CTA units/kg/hour during 12 hours. Group III patients (10) were treated with urinary urokinase (112,500 CTA) units/hour during 24 hours) and heparin (500 units/kg/24 hours). Group IV patients (10) were given tissue urokinase and heparin, both in the same dosage as in group III patients. Pulmonary angiography and cavography were performed in all patients before treatment and within 24 hours of its termination. With regard to pulmonary emboli, improvement was most pronounced with streptokinase, with a gain of 15.7 points on Miller's index of severity, as against 9.6, 10.5 and 5.7 points for Group II, III and IV patients respectively. In peripheral venous thrombosis, streptokinase showed even greater superiority over other treatment, with a gain of 16 points of Marder's index, as against zero, 4.5 and 11.2 points for patients in Groups II, III and IV respectively. On biochemical tests, the decrease in fibrinaemia was more pronounced in Group I patients than in other groups.