title: Fluorometric assay of antithrombin III. Diagnostic value in 112 patients with abnormal hemostasis.
abstract: The authors assessed the diagnostic value of the plasma anti-thrombin III (AT III) assay in 112 adult hospitalized patients with abnormal hemostatic parameters, using the Protopath procedure. In 100 patients tested only once, low AT III was observed in 25 of 29 cases of acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC); 7 of 10 with infections; 8 of 11 with acute liver disease; 19 of 20 with chronic liver disease; and 16 of 30 with other illnesses. The authors conclude that the assay cannot distinguish among disease categories, although it is a sensitive index of DIC. AT III was also repeatedly measured at various time intervals in 12 additional patients. The results suggest enhancement of the diagnostic and prognostic value of the assay with serial testing.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis*; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests / Q000379:methods; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005470:Fluorometry; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000990:Antithrombin III