Urokinase-type plasminogen activator release after DDAVP in von Willebrand disease: different behaviour of plasminogen activators according to the synthesis of von Willebrand factor.

Nine healthy volunteers and 23 patients with various types of von Willebrand disease were studied before and after DDAVP infusion. We investigated the behaviour of factor VIII/von Willebrand factor measurements, and of tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator. In mild von Willebrand disease the increase of both plasminogen activators was similar to that seen in normal controls. A different fibrinolytic behaviour was found in the type I platelet low and in the type III von Willebrand disease patients. An impaired and absent fibrinolytic response to DDAVP was seen in the former and in the latter von Willebrand disease, respectively. A close relation between either u-PA and t-PA or von Willebrand factor was observed. The possibility of a linkage among these three proteins was discussed.