Summary
The activator concentrations developing during a streptokinase infusion treatment
were measured on a quantitative basis. The reference value (100 per cent activator)
selected for this purpose was the activator effectiveness resulting from a mixture
of 20,000 units of streptokinase and 1 millilitre of citrate plasma. The streptokinase
treatment regimens used for our study consisted either of a continuous streptokinase
infusion treatment extended over three days or of intermittent streptokinase infusions
with a 16-hour streptokinase-free interval. The highest activator concentrations measured
had developed between 1 and 24 hours after the streptokinase treatment had started,
the values being in the order of 0.4 per cent. When treatment was continued, the activator
concentrations dropped below that level. Under the intermittent streptokinase regimen,
the activator concentrations measured during the second series of infusions were always
lower than those measured during the first series. The activator concentration levels
and the plasminogen values measured simultaneously acted in a reciprocal manner, i.e.
a plasminogen decrease corresponded to an activator increase and vice versa. Seen
under the aspect of the obtainable maximum of activator effectiveness, the intermittent
streptokinase infusion regimen offers no advantage as against the continuous treatment
form. It would certainly be desirable to achieve higher activator levels through modifications
in the streptokinase dosage.
