Experimental haemorrhage and blood component transfusion in humans: no change in plasma concentration of thrombin-antithrombin complex and plasmin-antiplasmin complex.

The influence of haemorrhage and blood transfusion on primary haemostasis, coagulation and fibrinolysis was investigated in ten healthy male volunteers. Acute loss of 10% of the blood volume did not give any significant alteration in thrombin- antithrombin III (TAT) complex and plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin (PAP) complex levels compared with a control series. The skin bleeding time with the Simplate II device was not altered after the 10% blood loss. Acute loss of 10% of blood volume followed by transfusion of packed red cells or stored plasma did not resulted in any significant change in bleeding time, TAT and PAP complex levels. It could be concluded that a controlled haemorrhage does not give any detectable changes of the platelet dependent primary haemostasis, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. Transfusion of one unit of packed red cells or stored plasma does not seem to adversely affect the haemostasis.