title: Schistocytes in disseminated intravascular coagulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of schistocytes on the peripheral blood film during disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) remains controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined schistocytes count on blood films from 35 DIC patients and checked morphological anomalies of all RBCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty of 35 patients presented with schistocytes and 22 with acanthocytes, which was the commonest shape anomaly. Mean percentage ± standard deviation was 0.33 ± 0.38%, median value was 0.1%, and range was 0-1.4%. The patients with schistocytes ≥ 1% had circumstances frequently associated with increased schistocytes count (promyelocytic leukaemia, pregnancy, severe infection).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schistocytes were thus frequently observed in DIC patients, usually with low percentage, within or close to the reference range (<0.5%). Schistocytes measurement is not a clue test for the initial diagnosis of DIC, but might be of clinical value to suggest an associated or underlying thrombotic microangiopathy if ≥ 1%.
authors.affiliation: Hematology laboratories at Nancy, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lesesve
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banasiak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: André-Kerneïs
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bardet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lusina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kharbach
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geneviève
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lecompte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D048430:Cell Shape; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004913:Erythrocytes, Abnormal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D057049:Thrombotic Microangiopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Schistocyte; acanthocyte; disseminated intravascular coagulation; sepsis; thrombotic microangiopathy