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Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

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Definition:

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting are abnormally active.

Alternative Names:

Consumption coagulopathy

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Normally, when you are injured, certain proteins are turned on and travel to the injury site to help stop bleeding. However, in persons with DIC, these proteins are abnormally active. Small blood clots form throughout the body. Overtime, the clotting proteins become "used up" and are unavailable during times of real injury.

This disorder can result in clots or, more often, bleeding. Bleeding can be severe.

Risk factors for DIC include:

• Blood transfusion reaction
• Cancer, including leukemia
• Infection in the blood by bacteria or fungus
• Pregnancy complications (such as retained placenta after delivery)
• Recent surgery or anesthesia
• Sepsis
• Severe liver disease
• Severe tissue injury (as in burns and head injury)

References:

Levi M. Disseminated intravascular coagulation: What's new? Crit Care Clin . Jul 2005; 21(3): 449-67.

DeLoughery TG. Critical care clotting catastrophies. Crit Care Clin . Jul 2005; 21(3): 531-62.

Gando S. A multicenter, prospective validation of disseminated intravascular coagulation diagnostic criteria for critically ill patients: comparing current criteria. Crit Care Med . Mar 2006; 34(3): 625-31.

• Review Date: 2/6/2007
• Reviewed By: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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