title: Disseminated intravascular coagulation: testing and diagnosis.
abstract: Abnormalities of the hemostatic system in patients with DIC result from the sum of vectors for hypercoagulation and hyperfibrinolysis. DIC is classified into hyperfibrinolysis, hypercoagulation, massive bleeding or nonsymptomatic types according to the balance of the two vectors. Both the antithrombin (AT) and protein C (PC) levels are significantly low in patients with septic DIC, and reduced amounts of AT and PC result in the lack of inhibition of thrombin and activated FVIII, respectively. Thrombin activates FVIII, while activated FVIII accelerates the coagulation pathway to generate thrombin; thus activation of the coagulation system persists. Three sets of diagnostic criteria have been established by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, respectively. Although these three diagnostic criteria score hemostatic abnormalities using similar global coagulation tests, the sensitivity and/or specificity for death differ. Treatment with AT or activated PC may not improve the outcomes of patients with sepsis at the early stage, although they may improve the outcomes in those with DIC. Therefore, new diagnostic criteria for determining the appropriate time to initiate anticoagulant treatment are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Laboratory Medicine, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. Electronic address: wadahide@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion and Emergency Critical Care Center, Mie University Hospital, Tsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: Emergency Critical Care Center, Mie University Hospital, Tsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatada
mesh_terms: D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: DIC; Diagnostic criteria; Hemostatic abnormality; Mortality; Treatment