Febrile Reaction Associated With Urokinase

Abstract

Urokinase is an endogenously produced human proteolytic enzyme used to treat many thrombotic disorders. A 54-year-old man with recurrent myocardial infarction experienced fever during intracoronary urokinase infusion into a saphenous vein graft; the fever resolved after discontinuation of the infusion. After excluding all other possible etiologies of fever, urokinase was determined to be the cause. Several studies indicated that this reaction may be associated with urokinase infusion, but it is actually recognized by few individuals. This is the first published case report of the adverse event to our knowledge.