An evaluation of the Japanese Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria for disseminated intravascular coagulation as a predictor of prognosis in patients with infection

Introduction A criterion for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) that reflects the status of controlled coagulopathy would be useful for determining when to stop treatment. Use of the DIC criteria of the Japanese Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (JSTH) for predicting the outcome during recombinant soluble thrombomodulin (thrombomodulin alfa, TM-alpha) treatment was evaluated. Methods A retrospective, multicenter survey was conducted in 798 medical facilities in Japan. Of the 4342 patients who underwent TM-alpha treatment, 193 with infection-associated DIC were investigated. Results The 28-day mortality rate increased with the increase in JSTH DIC scores at the end of TM-alpha treatment, with a Cramer's coefficient of association of 0.431. A reduced platelet count (odds ratio [OR]: 0.847, P < .001), prolonged prothrombin time ratio (OR: 5.681, P < .001), decreased fibrinogen level (OR: 0.995, P < .001), higher level of fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products (OR: 1.009, P = .026), and lower antithrombin activity (OR: 0.973, P < .001) were correlated with 28-day mortality. On multivariate analysis, the JSTH DIC score at the completion of TM-alpha therapy was a predictor of mortality (OR: 1.591, 95% CI: 1.219-2.077). Conclusion The JSTH DIC score at the end of anticoagulation therapy may be a reliable tool for predicting the outcome in patients with infection-associated DIC.