Anti-heparin/PF4 complexes by ELISA in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is known to complicate disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), but rarely to be complicated by DIC. We measured the titers of anti-PF4/hepatin complex antibodies by ELISA (HIT-Elisa) and examined 4 parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis [D-dimer, thrombin/antithrombin complex (TAT), plasmin/alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and antithrombin levels] in 80 patients with DIC diagnosed by a DIC scoring system. Fourteen patients were HIT-Elisa-positive, 11 of whom received heparin.