HEMOSTATIC STUDY BEFORE ONSET OF DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION

Early diagnosis is necessary for the treatment of disseminated intrava scular coagulation (DIC), but criteria for the stage preceding the dia gnosis of DIC (pre-DIC) have not yet been established. To clarify hemo static abnormalities that occur before the onset of DIC, we performed hemostatic studies in 117 patients within at least a week before the o nset of DIC (pre-DIC), in 237 patients with DIC, and in 50 patients wi thout DIC or pre-DIC (non-DIC). Levels of FDP, PT, and fibrinogen, and platelet counts were significantly abnormal after the onset of DIC, b ut not before. Thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), plasmin-alpha2 plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and FDP-D-dimer levels were signific antly higher before the onset of DIC compared to the non-DIC patients. Hemostatic abnormalities were observed within a week before the onset of DIC. Monitoring the plasma levels of TAT, PIC, and FDP-D-dimer mig ht be useful for the diagnosis of a pre-DIC condition.