The purpose of the study was to explore hemostasis in children suffering from
hemorrhagic vasculitis (HV) by means of the new amidolytic methods using
chromogenic substrates. The patient's plasma was studied for the content of
thrombin,
trypsin,
factor Xa, AT-III,
kallikrein,
plasmin, free
heparin,
urokinase, factor 3 of platelets,
prothrombin and Willebrand's factor. 69 children with HV were entered into the study. All of them were examined during crises. In cutaneous HV, the content of
trypsin decreased 3-fold, the content of
factor Xa increased 5-fold; there was a negligible increase in the
plasmin and AT-III levels; the content of
kallikrein rose 2-fold, that of
urokinase 60-fold; the release of
platelet factor 3 was intensified 1.5-fold, the activity of
prothrombin 3-fold. These data indicate that in cutaneous HV, blood coagulation increased. However, the signs of
disseminated intravascular coagulation were lacking because of the high blood
anticoagulant activity. In mixed HV, the phase of hypercoagulation was not made for by the blood
anticoagulant activity, since the latter one was depleted. The capillary toxic
nephritis may give rise to
disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with the depletion of the
anticoagulant component. The gravity of HV and its complications can be predicted according to the characteristics of the
anticoagulant component of hemostasis, especially according to the levels of
urokinase and AT-III.