Disseminated intravascular coagulation and bacterial infections in the elderly

Anticoagulant screening tests (prothrombin time, thrombin time, kaolin-cephalin time and serum fibrinogen levels), platelet count and estimation of fibrinogen degradation products were carried out on 34 elderly patients with proven bacterial infections, 42 elderly patients with suspected bacterial infections and in 20 controls, to investigate the existence of a sub-clinical form of disseminated intravascular coagulation. The prothrombin time was significantly prolonged in bacterial infections of the elderly and subclinical intravascular coagulation was not found to be a feature. The screening tests did not show any correlation with the outcome of the disease or the presence of septicaemia.