[Disseminated intravascular coagulation during a course of miliary tuberculosis]

Two patients with tuberculosis complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation are presented. The first patient had spleenic and mesenteric lymph nodes tuberculosis (accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhoea) lasting for several years) in which DIC was terminal fatal complication. Coagulation disorder was characterized by a decrease of fibrinogen concentration in blood, thrombocytopenia and other disorders as well as haemorrhagic syndrome. The second patient had miliary tuberculosis presented by X-ray changes on the lungs, granuloma in the liver and positive cultures in the sputum. Both laboratory and clinical signs of DIC manifested in the beginning of the disease. Heparin treatment was successful: haemorrhages stopped already 24 hours later, while an increase of fibrinogen concentration and number of platelets in blood proceeded at slower rate. As the patient had overcome the critical period, treatment of the primary disease was successful and led to complete recovery.