title: Prothrombin complex concentrate in trauma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recent advances, trauma care providers nowadays face a number of coagulopathic patients. Coagulopathy in trauma patients can be secondary to the traumatic insult or therapeutic effect of the anticoagulants including the Vitamin K antagonist. The efficacy of a concentrated product of Vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors, prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), to reverse coagulopathy has been tested mainly in nontrauma setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Currently available literature on the use of PCC was identified by searches of electronic database. The indications (trauma vs nontrauma) and types of the PCC products (3 vs 4 factors) were also reviewed in each article.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are small studies that show promising results regarding PCC use to reverse the Vitamin K antagonist-related coagulopathy in trauma patients. It remains unanswered whether PCC can be effective as an adjunct in patients who require massive transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, University of Southern California, 1200 North State Street, Inpatient Tower (C), Room C5L100, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. Electronic address: mkazu45@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, University of Southern California, 1200 North State Street, Inpatient Tower (C), Room C5L100, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery, University of Southern California, 1200 North State Street, Inpatient Tower (C), Room C5L100, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demetriades
mesh_terms: D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D012151:Resuscitation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; C025667:prothrombin complex concentrates
keywords: Coagulopathy; Prothrombin complex concentrate; Trauma