Effect of single intravenous administration of batroxobin on erythrocyte aggregability in patients with acute-stage cerebral infarction

We examined the effect of defibrinogenation with batroxobin on the erythrocyte aggregability (RBC-A) in 16 patients with cerebral infarction during the acute phase (less than 72 hours after onset). Eight patients received a single intravenous administration of 10 units of batroxobin (BU), while the other 8 patients received 5 BU. The RBC-A was examined using the whole-blood erythrocyte aggregometer developed by us (Am. J. Physiol. 251, H1205–H1210, 1986) with concomitant measurement of the hematocrit, albumin:globulin ratio and concentration of fibrinogen. The RBC-A values before, and at 1,2, and 7 days after 10 BU administration were 0.154±0.017/s, 0.117±0.029/s (76% of the value before the administration, P<0.01), 0.105±0.029/s (68%, P<0.01), and 0.124±0.015/s (81%, P<0.01), respectively. The fibrinogen concentrations before, and at 1, 2, and 7 days after the batroxobin were 364±81 mg/dl, 150±35 mg/dl (41%, P<0.01), 129±35 mg/dl (35%, P<0.01), and 211±42 mg/dl (58%, P<0.01), respectively. On the other hand, the RBC-A values before, and at 1, 2, and 7 days after 5 BU administration were 0.143±0.021/s, 0.131±0.036/s, 0.130±0.028/s, and 0.141±0.029/s, respectively. The fibrinogen concentrations before, and at 1, 2, and 7 days after the batroxobin were 318±57 mg/dl, 255±60 mg/dl (80%, P<0.01), 259±68 mg/dl (81%, P<0.01), and 319±87 mg/dl, respectively. We conclude that a single intravenous administration of batroxobin at 10 BU reduced the RBC-A in patients with cerebral infarction during the acute phase in accordance with a decrease in the fibrinogen level. The effect appeared to last for more than 7 days.