Elevated plasminogen activators are associated with hematoma progression in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

Endogenous fibrinolysis might lead to hematoma progression in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We studied plasma biomarkers of fibrinolysis and hemostasis in twenty-two patients with ICH and nine healthy controls (HC) in a single-center study. Patients with ICH had significantly higher D-dimer and plasmin-alpha-2-antiplasmin complexes compared to HC. At baseline, patients with hematoma progression had higher urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and lower plasminogen levels, compared to those with no progression. 24-hour and day-7 matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was significantly increased in patients with hematoma progression.