Hypofibrinogenaemia in metastatic carcinoma of the prostate: suppression of systemic fibrinolysis by haparin.

In a patient with generalized prostatic carcinoma and hypofibrinogenaemia heparin infusion on four occasions abolished systemic fibrinolysis as determined by euglobulin clot lysis time, bovine fibrin plate assay, thromboelastography, and immunoelectrophoretic demonstration of fibrinogen split products. The pathogenesis of hypofibrinogenaemia in cases of prostatic carcinoma and the possibility of a direct heparin effect on fibrinolysis are discussed. Despite the lack of histological evidence for intravascular coagulation, the findings are considered additional evidence for the view that fibrinolysis in this syndrome may be secondary to intravascular coagulation.