title: Applicability of disseminated intravascular coagulation parameters in the assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical applicability of the determination of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) parameters in acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects for this study were 139 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis. DIC parameters were assessed at the initial observation of these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of the DIC parameters at admission were significantly associated with the severity and the prognosis of acute pancreatitis. Antithrombin III (AT-III), fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products-E, platelet count, D-dimer, and thrombin-AT-III complex at admission showed better area under the receiver operating characteristics curve values compared with C-reactive protein. An AT-III value of 69% at admission was the best cut-off value to predict fatal outcome (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 86%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aggravated coagulation parameters predict a fatal outcome in patients with acute pancreatitis. AT-III level (<69%) was the most accurate marker for poor outcome of acute pancreatitis at admission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohmuraya
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takamori
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanemitsu
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baba
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein