Disseminated intravascular coagulation in trauma patients.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is characterized by the in vivo activation of the coagulation system, which results in the intravascular deposition of fibrin and consumption bleeding. DIC is a serious hemostatic complication of trauma. It can be clearly distinguished from physiological hemostatic response to trauma by using sensitive coagulofibrinolytic molecular markers. Physiological hemostasis to injuries is similar in all kinds of trauma without exception. There is an increase in circulating proinflammatory cytokines in DIC patients after trauma. Elevated cytokines induce tissue factor-mediated activation of coagulation, suppression of the anticoagulant pathway, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)-mediated inhibition of fibrinolysis followed by disseminated fibrin deposition in the microvasculature. In addition to the occlusive microvascular thrombosis and hypoxia, sustained systemic inflammatory response characterized by neutrophil activation and endothelial damage plays a pivotal role in the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in posttrauma DIC patients. DIC associated with sustained systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) after trauma leads to the development of MODS, which is the main determinant of patients' outcome after trauma.