Bleeding Tendency in Uremia

LTHOIJGH the association of bleeding teuideuicy with uremia has beeui recognized fon ’ at least a century,n the exact (‘ause has miever 1)een clearly defined. Vascular damage has been suggested.2 This study includes assays of many hemostatic factors in twelve patients showing varying degrees of azotelllia with and without hemorrhagic manifestations. An abnormality in platelet func-tion (thrombocytopathia) was the most consistent finding. MATEIIIALS ANI) \IETII0I)S Materials and methods, together with results in normal subjects, have been previously described.3 ’ 11 ESt’LTS Twelve patients with elevations iui blood NPN (on BUN) levels were studied. Severity of 1)leediulg tendency was roughly graded froun 0 to + + + +. Bleeding was predominantly from mucous membranes (epistaxis in 9, vaginal bleeding imi 3, gum bleeding iui4, gastrointestinal bleeding imi 3) auid skimi (ecchymoses amid bruising in 5, petechiae in 2). Hematunia, perhaps associated w’ith the underlyin