Disseminated Intravascular

Coagulation
Keith Lewis, MD.
DIC
 An acquired syndrome
characterized by systemic 6

intravascular coagulation Thrombosis

 Coagulation is always the Platelet

Red Blood Cell

initial event.
 Most morbidity and Fibrin

mortality depends on extent

of intravascular thrombosis
 Multiple causes WWW. Coumadin.com
DIC SYSTEMIC ACTIVATION
OF COAGULATION

 An acquired syndrome
characterized by systemic
intravascular Intravascular Depletion of
deposition of platelets and
coagulation fibrin coagulation
factors
 Coagulation is always the
initial event
Thrombosis of
small and midsize Bleeding
vessels

Organ failure DEATH

Pathophysiology of DIC
 Activation of Blood Coagulation
 Suppression of Physiologic Anticoagulant
Pathways
 Impaired Fibrinolysis
 Cytokines
Pathophysiology of DIC
 Activation of Blood Coagulation
 Tissue factor/factor VIIa mediated thrombin generation via the
extrinsic pathway
 complex activates factor IX and X
 TF
 endothelial cells
 monocytes
 Extravascular:
• lung
• kidney
• epithelial cells
Pathophysiology of DIC
 Suppression of Physiologic Anticoagulant
Pathways
 reduced antithrombin III levels
 reduced activity of the protein C-protein S system
 Insufficient regulation of tissue factor activity by
tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI)
 inhibits TF/FVIIa/Fxa complex activity
Pathophysiology of DIC
 Impaired Fibrinolysis
 relatively suppressed at time of maximal activation of
coagulation due to increased plasminogen activator inhibitor
type 1
Pathophysiology of DIC - Cytokines
 Cytokines
 IL-6, and IL-1 mediates coagulation activation in DIC
 TNF-
 mediates dysregulation of physiologic anticoagulant pathways and
fibrinolysis
 modulates IL-6 activity
 IL-10 may modulate the activation of coagulation

Inflamation Coagulation
Diagnosis of DIC
 Presence of disease associated with DIC
 Appropriate clinical setting
 Clinical evidence of thrombosis, hemorrhage or both.
 Laboratory studies
 no single test is accurate
 serial test are more helpful than single test
Conditions Associated With DIC
 Malignancy  Pulmonary
 Leukemia  ARDS/RDS
 Metastatic disease  Pulmonary embolism
 Cardiovascular  Severe acidosis
 Post cardiac arrest  Severe anoxia
 Acute MI  Collagen vascular disease
 Prosthetic devices  Anaphylaxis
 Hypothermia/Hyperthermia
Conditions Associated With DIC
 Infectious/Septicemia  Tissue Injury
 Bacterial  trauma
 Gm - / Gm +  extensive surgery
 Viral  tissue necrosis
 CMV  head trauma
 Varicella  Obstetric
 Hepatitis
 Amniotic fluid emboli
 Fungal  Placental abruption
 Intravascular hemolysis  Eclampsia
 Acute Liver Disease  Missed abortion
 Clinical Manifestations of DIC
ORGAN ISCHEMIC HEMOR.
Ischemic Findings Skin Pur. Fulminans Petechiae
are earliest! Gangrene Echymosis
Acral cyanosis Oozing
CNS Delirium/Coma Intracranial
Infarcts bleeding
Renal Oliguria/Azotemia Hematuria
Cortical Necrosis
Cardiovascular Myocardial
Dysfxn
Pulmonary Dyspnea/Hypoxia Hemorrhagic Bleeding is the most
Infarct lung obvious
GI Ulcers, Infarcts Massive clinical finding
Endocrine Adrenal infarcts hemorrhage.
Clinical Manifestations of DIC
Microscopic findings in DIC

 Fragments
 Schistocytes
 Paucity of platelets
Laboratory Tests Used in DIC
 D-dimer*  Thrombin time
 Antithrombin III*  Fibrinogen
 F. 1+2*
 Prothrombin time
 Activated PTT
 Fibrinopeptide A*  Protamine test
 Platelet factor 4*  Reptilase time
 Fibrin Degradation Prod  Coagulation factor levels
 Platelet count
 Protamine test *Most reliable test
Laboratory diagnosis
 Thrombocytopenia
 plat count <100,000 or rapidly declining
 Prolonged clotting times (PT, APTT)
 Presence of Fibrin degradation products or positive D-
dimer
 Low levels of coagulation inhibitors
 AT III, protein C
 Low levels of coagulation factors
 Factors V,VIII,X,XIII
 Fibrinogen levels not useful diagnostically
Differential Diagnosis
 Severe liver failure
 Vitamin K deficiency
 Liver disease
 Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
 Congenital abnormalities of fibrinogen
 HELLP syndrome
Treatment of DIC
 Stop the triggering process .
 The only proven treatment!
 Supportive therapy
 No specific treatments
 Plasma and platelet substitution therapy
 Anticoagulants
 Physiologic coagulation inhibitors
Plasma therapy
 Indications
 Active bleeding
 Patient requiring invasive procedures
 Patient at high risk for bleeding complications
 Prophylactic therapy has no proven benefit.
 Cons:
 Fresh frozen plasma(FFP):
 provides clotting factors, fibrinogen, inhibitors, and platelets in balanced
amounts.
 Usual dose is 10-15 ml/kg
Platelet therapy
 Indications
 Active bleeding
 Patient requiring invasive procedures
 Patient at high risk for bleeding complications
 Platelets
 approximate dose 1 unit/10kg
Blood
 Replaced as needed to maintain adequate oxygen
delivery.
 Blood loss due to bleeding
 RBC destruction (hemolysis)
Coagulation Inhibitor Therapy
 Antithrombin III
 Protein C concentrate
 Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI)
 Heparin
Antithrombin III
 The major inhibitor of the coagulation cascade
 Levels are decreased in DIC.
 Anticoagulant and antiinflammatory properties
 Therapeutic goal is to achieve supranormal levels of ATIII (>125-150%).
 Experimental data indicated a beneficial effect in preventing or attenuating DIC in
septic shock
 reduced DIC scores, DIC duration, and some improvement in organ function
 Clinical trials have shown laboratory evidence of attenuation of DIC and trends toward
improved outcomes.
 A clear benefit has not been established in clinical trials .
Protein C Concentrates
 Inhibits Factor Va, VIIa and PAI-1 in conjunction with
thrombomodulin.
 Protein S is a cofactor
 Therapeutic use in DIC is experimental and is based on studies
that show:
 Patients with congenital deficiency are prone to thromboembolic disease.
 Protein C levels are low in DIC due to sepsis.
 Levels correlate with outcome.
 Clinical trials show significantly decreased morbidity and mortality in
DIC due to sepsis.
Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor
 Tissue factor is expressed on endothelial cells and
macrophages
 TFPI complexes with TF, Factor VIIa,and Factor Xa to
inhibit generation of thrombin from prothrombin
 TF inhibition may also have antiinflammatory effects
 Clinical studies using recombinant TFPI are promising.
Heparin
 Use is very controversial. Data is mixed.
 May be indicated in patients with clinical evidence
of fibrin deposition or significant thrombosis.
 Generally contraindicated in patients with
significant bleeding and CNS insults.
 Dosing and route of administration varies.
 Requires normal levels of ATIII.
Antifibrinolytic Therapy
 Rarely indicated in DIC
 Fibrinolysis is needed to clear thrombi from the micro circulation.
 Use can lead to fatal disseminated thrombosis.
 May be indicated for life threatening bleeding under the
following conditions:
 bleeding has not responded to other therapies and:
 laboratory evidence of overwhelming fibrinolysis.
 evidence that the intravascular coagulation has ceased.
 Agents: tranexamic acid, EACA
Summary
 DIC is a syndrome characterized systemic intravascular
coagulation.
 Coagulation is the initial event and the extent of intravascular
thrombosis has the greatest impact on morbidity and mortality.
 Important link between inflammation and coagulation.
 Morbidity and mortality remain high.
 The only proven treatment is reversal or control of the
underlying cause.
pathophysiology