Fibrinolytic Activity in Gastric Venous Blood

The fibrinolytic activity of blood draining from the stomachs of patients with gastroduodenal disease has been compared with the fibrinolytic acitivity of blood in the systemic venous circulation and with the blood draining from normal stomachs. Gastric venous blood from normal and diseased stomachs contains greater amounts of plasminogen activator than simultaneously sampled systemic venous blood. However, gastric venous fibrinolytic activity does not differ between the normal and diseased stomachs and thus indicates that increased gastric venous fibrinolysis is not just a characteristic of the diseased stomach. The studies suggest that stress may cause activation of the fibrinolytic system in gastric venous blood with the release of small amounts of free plasmin. It is postulated that local fibrinolysis may play a part in potentiating gastric hemorrhage.