A 3--sulfated heparan sulfate dodecasaccharide (12-mer) suppresses thromboinflammation and attenuates early organ injury following trauma and hemorrhagic shock.

Introduction: Dysregulated inflammation and coagulation are underlying mechanisms driving organ injury after trauma and hemorrhagic shock. Heparan sulfates, cell surface glycosaminoglycans abundantly expressed on the endothelial surface, regulate a variety of cellular processes. Endothelial heparan sulfate containing a rare 3--sulfate modification on a glucosamine residue is anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory through high-affinity antithrombin binding and sequestering of circulating damage-associated molecular pattern molecules.

Increased apoptosis of peripheral blood neutrophils is associated with reduced incidence of infection in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock.

Objective: We aimed to describe the relationship between early peripheral leukocyte apoptosis and incidence of subsequent infection in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock (T/HS).

Methods: T/HS patients requiring emergency surgery were prospectively enrolled. Nucleosome ELISA and TUNEL staining were performed on peripheral blood drawn pre-operatively, post-operatively and at 24 h.