In order to detect even minimal fibrinolysis activation in liver cirrhosis, we measured fibrinopeptide Bβ 15–42 (Bβ 15–42), an indicator of plasmin activity in vivo and α2-antiplasmin (α2-AP) in a group of cirrhotic patients. The second goal of this study was to investigate whether an increased fibrinolytic activity is related to a chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation. For this purpose we concomitantly measured fibrinopeptide A (FPA), marker of thrombin activity in vivo. Results show significantly higher levels of Bβ 15–42 in cirrhotic patients than in control (p < 0.01). In patients with high FPA levels we found significantly higher values than in patients with normal FPA (p < 0.01). α2-AP was lower in patients with high FPA levels than in patients with normal FPA (p < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between FPA and α2-AP only in patients with high FPA (p < 0.05). There was no relationship between Bβ 15–42 and FPA nor between Bβ 15–42 and α2-AP when all patients were considered. These findings confirm that in liver cirrhosis fibrinolysis activation may occur. The primary pathogenetic role of DIC may be important in this respect. However the lack of correlation between FPA and Bβ 15–42 suggests that other pathogenetic factors may be involved in determining f