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Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a pathological disease that often manifests as a complication in patients with sepsis. Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response caused by infection and is a major public health concern worldwide.
Feature | Previous Sepsis Definitions (SIRS-Based) | Sepsis 3 Definition |
---|---|---|
Definition | Sepsis is SIRS + confirmed or presumed infections * | Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection |
Organ Dysfunction Criteria | Based on individual clinical criteria (e.g., temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, WBC count) | Organ dysfunction defined as an increase of 2 or more points in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score |
Clinical Criteria | Relatively simple criteria (e.g., T > 38 C or <36 C, p > 90/min, RR > 20/min or PaCO2 < 32 mmHg, WBC > 12 or >10% immature band forms) | qSOFA (HAT) **: Hypotension (SBP ≤ 100 mmHg), Altered mental status (any GCS < 15), Tachypnea (RR ≥ 22) |
Classification of Severity | Sepsis, Severe Sepsis, Septic Shock | Sepsis, Septic Shock (Severe Sepsis no longer exists) |
Diagnostic Accuracy | Lack of sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing severe sepsis | Improved predictive validity and accuracy in diagnosing sepsis |
Use in ICU Patients | SIRS criteria lacked sensitivity for defining sepsis in ICU patients | SOFA score superior to SIRS in predicting mortality in ICU patients |
Use in Non-ICU Patients | Less accurate in predicting hospital mortality outside the ICU | Similar predictive performance in non-ICU patients |
Global Applicability | Used globally, but lacks standardization and content validity | Development and validation conducted in high-income countries |
Prognostic Value | Limited ability to predict patient outcomes and mortality | Enhanced ability to prognosticate patient outcomes and mortality risk |
Emphasis on Infection Trigger | Inclusion of infection as a crucial component in sepsis diagnosis | Maintains the importance of infection in defining sepsis |
Endorsement by Professional Orgs. | Various organizations endorsed previous definitions | Not universally endorsed by all organizations |
Parameter (Units) | Diagnostic Method | Low-Risk Criteria (Score = 1) | Moderate-Risk Criteria (Score = 2) | High-Risk Criteria (Score = 3) | Interpretative Notes |
Platelet Count (×10⁹ per L) | ISTH Overt DIC | 50–100 | N/A | <80 or 50% drop in 24 h 1 | Lower counts indicate severe clotting issues |
JAAM DIC | <50 | N/A | N/A | - | |
ISTH SIC | 100–150 | <100 | N/A | - | |
Fibrin Degradation Products (FDP)/D-dimer (μg/mL) | ISTH Overt DIC | N/A | Moderate increase 2 | Strong increase 3 | Elevated levels suggest severe clotting issues |
JAAM DIC | 10–25 | N/A | ≥25 | - | |
ISTH SIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | |
Prothrombin Time (PT) (seconds or PT-INR) | ISTH Overt DIC | 1.2–1.4 PT-INR | 3–6 s | ≥6 s | Longer times signify clotting dysfunction |
JAAM DIC | 1.2–1.4 PT-INR | N/A | >1.4 PT-INR | - | |
ISTH SIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | |
Fibrinogen Levels (g/mL) | ISTH Overt DIC | N/A | N/A | <100 | Low levels indicate severe coagulation issues |
JAAM DIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | |
ISTH SIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | |
SIRS Score | ISTH Overt DIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - |
JAAM DIC | >3 | N/A | N/A | Elevated scores indicate systemic inflammation | |
ISTH SIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - | |
SOFA Score | ISTH Overt DIC | N/A | N/A | N/A | - |
JAAM DIC | 1 | N/A | N/A | Score assesses multi-organ dysfunction | |
ISTH SIC | 1 | ≥2 | N/A | - |
Therapy | Mechanism of Action | Dosage and Administration | Efficacy | Adverse Effects | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) | Anticoagulant | Dosage: Based on weight, typically 80 units/kg bolus followed by 18 units/kg/hr infusion | Limited high-quality evidence for use in sepsis-related DIC. Small trials show potential benefits in early-stage sepsis patients but not necessarily in sepsis DIC patients | Bleeding risk | [19][39][40][41] |
Recombinant Soluble TM (rsTM) | Alleviates DIC and reduces mortality | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | More effective than UFH in alleviating DIC and reducing mortality in infectious DIC patients | NS * | [39][40][41][42][43] |
Activated Protein C (APC) | Anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory agent; degrades extracellular histones | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | No significant difference in response rates compared to UFH for DIC; reduces bleeding risk and mortality | Bleeding risk | [44][45][46][47][48][49] |
High-dose Antithrombin (AT) | Reduces mortality in DIC patients without significant bleeding events | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | No reduction in mortality in sepsis patients; increases bleeding risk | Increased bleeding risk | [44][45][49][50] |
Corticosteroids | Unclear mechanism; potential benefits in sepsis-induced DIC | Dosage: Varies depending on the specific corticosteroid used and patient condition | Contrasting findings, inconclusive evidence. Some studies suggest potential benefits, while others show no significant impact or potential harm | Potential adverse effects: increased risk of infection, metabolic disturbances | [32][33][34][35][36][38][51] |
Thrombomodulin alfa (rTM) | Binds to thrombin, activates protein C, downregulates coagulation | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | Reduction in overall mortality rates, minimized bleeding complications | NS * | [8][52][53] |
Vitamin C | Potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant properties | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | Inconclusive evidence. Some studies show potential benefits in certain parameters, while others show no significant impact or potential harm | NS * | [54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61] |
Fibrinolytic Therapy | Reduces clot formation, improves organ perfusion | Dosage: Varies depending on the specific fibrinolytic agent used | Impact on clinical outcomes inconclusive; some studies show improvements in coagulation parameters, while others show no significant effect | Bleeding risk | [62][63][64][65][66][67] |
Platelet Transfusion | Controversial; potential benefits in severe thrombocytopenia or active bleeding | Dosage: Varies depending on the patient’s platelet count and clinical condition | Evidence supporting efficacy is sparse; conflicting recommendations | Potential adverse effects: bleeding complications | [68][69][70][71][72][73] |
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) | Stimulates production and mobilization of neutrophils | Dosage: Varies, typically administered subcutaneously or intravenously | Potential benefits in improving coagulation parameters | NS * | [74][75][76][77] |
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) | Acts on neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages | Dosage: Varies, typically administered subcutaneously or intravenously | Impact on sepsis-induced DIC not yet clearly defined | NS | [74][75] |
Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) | Improves coagulation abnormalities, shows a trend toward decreased mortality in sepsis-induced coagulopathy patients | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | Improved coagulation abnormalities, reduced DIC duration, potential decrease in mortality | NS | [53] |
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) | Immunomodulatory effects through cytokine secretion | Dosage: Varies, typically administered intravenously | Promising results in preclinical studies, potential to improve outcomes in sepsis-induced DIC | NS * | [78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87] |