Increased Thrombin Generation Capacity in Septic Patients with DIC.

Variety clinical conditions may cause systemic activation of coagulation, ranging from insignificant laboratory changes to severe disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). DIC consists of widespread systemic activation of coagulation, resulting in diffuse fibrin deposition in small and midsize vessels. However, little is known about thrombin generation capacity in patients with DIC. To investigate the thrombin generation capacity, we measured thrombin generation in septic patients with DIC (n=20) and acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-induced DIC (n=5). Thrombin generation was determined by the Throbogram-Thrombinoscope assay (Thermo Electron Corporation, Netherlands). The analyzed TG parameters ware the peak of thrombin activity (Peak) and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP).

The thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT) levels were higher in both DIC patients as reported by others. In the septic patients with DIC, we found significant elevations in peak of thrombin activity and ETP as compared with normal controls (determined in 17 healthy males and 14 healthy female). However, the peak of thrombin activity and ETP levels were severely decreased by 60% n the APL patients with DIC. There was slightly correlation between the ETP and TAT levels in septic patients with DIC. Also, there was correlation between the ETP and bleeding tendency in APL patients with DIC.

These results suggest that assess of thrombin generation capacity may be helpful in the making the diagnosis in septic patients with DIC. It appears that assess of ETP may contribute to evaluate bleeding tendency in APL patients with DIC.