Endogeneous fibrinolysis and restenosis of peripheral arteries after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Abstract To assess the role of the fibrinolytic system in the pathogenesis of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of peripheral arteries, 166 consecutive patients with peripheral atherosclerotic disease, ranging from 36 to 86 years old (median = 60), who had undergone successful PTA, were followed for 1 year. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) antigens were determined before PTA and at 3, 6 and 12 months after, while t-PA activity, PAI-1 activi ty, fibrinogen, plasminogen, euglobulin clot lysis time anda2-antiplasmin were determined at 3 months after PTA. There were no significant differences in fibrinolytic parameters between patients with patent (121 patients – 73%) and those with restenosed (45 patients – 27%) arteries. Restenosis was more common in patients with poor outflow (17 out of 44 patients) than with good outflow (28 out of 122 patients;P