Protein C levels in disseminated intravascular coagulation and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: its correlation with other coagulation parameters.
Protein C was measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in plasmas from 58 normal subjects, 39 patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and 5 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Protein C levels ranged from 69.7 to 163.6% (95% confidence limits) in normal subjects. In patients with DIC, protein C concentrations were significantly decreased, with a geometric mean value of 42.1%. Protein C concentration was positively correlated with plasma prothrombin, antithrombin III and serum pseudocholinesterase, and was negatively correlated with von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) and vWF:Ag/factor VIII ratio. These findings suggest that low protein C concentrations in DIC mean a consumption of protein C probably due to its activation by thrombin and/or impaired liver synthetic function. In patients with TTP, protein C levels were normal with a geometric mean value of 116.7%, indicating that the pathophysiology of TTP is quite different from that of DIC.
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011486:Protein C; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011486:Protein C