The changes of some factors of blood coagulation system in rats following frost-bite of both hind feet under hypoxia were investigated. Male Wistar rats weighed 200 +/- 20g were divided into four groups: normal control (C); frostbite at normoxia (FN); frostbite during acute hypoxia (FAH) and frostbite during hypoxia after altitude acclimation (FHAC). Bleeding time and clotting time, rate of clot-retraction, plasma content of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 were determined following exposure to cold. The results showed that bleeding time and clotting time were shortened, and rate of clot-retraction was decreased, plasma content of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2, T/P ratio were increased significantly after exposure to cold in all frostbite groups, but these changes were more prominent in FHAC than those in FN and FAH. The results demonstrated that there were changes in blood coagulation system following cold injury, blood coagulability was increased. These changes were closely related to the degree of frostbite. In addition, the degree of cold injury was aggravated by altitude acclimation and this may play an important role in the pathological process of dysfunction leading to necrosis of local frostbite tissue.