Thrombosis in spinal cord injury

Some traditional coagulation assays and several new molecular markers of hemostatic activation were measured in 37 patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twenty one of the patients (57%) developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The radiofibrinogen uptake test (RFUT) was used to diagnose DVT. Thirty eight percent of quadriplegic and 88% of paraplegic patients developed DVT (p < 0.005). No significant differences were found in platelet counts, mean platelet volumes, fibrinogen levels, von Willebrand factor (Ag) levels, platelet factor 4 and beta thromboglobulin concentrations between the groups with and without DVT. Fibrinopeptide A, thrombin/antithrombin III (TAT) complexes and plasma D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the patients with thrombosis. Most patients with DVT had elevated TAT complex levels up to three days before the RFUT became positive. D-dimer levels were highest after the diagnosis had been made.