Fibrinolytic activity in renal venous blood in man

In 50 patients without renal insufficiency, fibrinolytic activity, as reflected by euglobulin lysis time, was determined in blood obtained from the renal veins, the renal artery and a peripheral vein. Fibrinolytic activity was found to be significantly higher in the renal veins than in the renal artery and the peripheral vein. Other coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters did not show such differences. In addition, a patient with acute oligoanuric renal failure was investigated. This patient demonstrated reduced overall fibrinolytic activity, but there were no differences between the activity in the blood of the renal veins and that of the renal artery or peripheral vein. It seems, therefore, that the kidneys release plasminogen activators into the systemic circulation. This may be decreased in renal failure, probably contributing to the well-known diminished fibrinolysis in some kidney diseases.