Increased Levels of Platelet-Derived Microparticles in Patients with DIC.

Circulating microparticles of various cell types are present in healthy individuals and individuals in various disease states. In these microparticles, platelet-dreived microparticles (PMPs) may be implicated in thrombosis and haemostasis. However, little is known about the role of PMPs in patients with DIC. To investigate the role of PMPs, we measured plasma levels of PMPs in patients with sepsis-associated DIC (n=20) and acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-induced DIC (n=5). Plasma samples from those patients groups were assayed for PMPs levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, Japan Immunoresearch Laboratory, Japan). Also, sP-selectin levels were determined by ELISA.

The thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT) levels were higher in both types of DIC patients as reported by others. In the septic patients with DIC, we found significant elevation in PMPs levels as compared with normal controls. However, we did not find any difference in plasma levels of PMPs in the APL patients with DIC. The sP-selectin levels were elevated in the septic patients with DIC. In early phase of septic patients with DIC, plasma levels of PMPs tend to be higher than that in late phase of septic patients with DIC.These results suggest that plasma levels of PMPs may be candidates for a marker of septic DIC. It appears that PMPs may contribute to the processes of septic DIC.