Upregulation of microparticles in DIC and its impact on inflammatory processes.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) results in the catastrophic simultaneous activation of thrombotic and hemorrhagic processes. Its pathophysiology and the role of inflammation and microparticles (MPs) are not fully understood. Microparticles represent small phospholipid-expressing procoagulant vesicular fragments, released with cellular disruption and apoptosis. Functional MPs were measured in 100 random patients from a population of patients with DIC. Plasma samples from 30 normal male and female volunteers were used as control. Commercial Annexin trapping method was used to determine procoagulant activity of MPs. Mean ± SD concentration of MPs in the DIC group was 24.6 ± 14.2 nmol/L (range: 0.0-60.0 nmol/L), significantly higher than the control group: 8.5 ± 4.3 nmol/L (range: 1.3-17.4 nmol/L). Distribution curves and scattergrams showed that MPs concentration in the DIC samples was more widespread. This demonstrates that MPs are upregulated in patients with DIC and may mediate the hemostatic activation and inflammatory responses in this syndrome.