Effects of antithrombin and gabexate mesilate on disseminated intravascular coagulation: a preliminary study

We hypothesized that antithrombin is more effective for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) than is gabexate mesilate, which is a protease inhibitor, suggested from the previous studies. Initially, we compared the effects of antithrombin and gabexate mesilate for treating infection-related DIC.

Sixteen adult patients with a diagnosis of DIC with infection who were assessed with an acute DIC score 4 or higher at the admission to the intensive care unit were divided into antithrombin-treated and gabexate mesilate-treated groups. White blood cell counts, C-reactive protein, platelet counts, antithrombin, fibrin and fibrinogen degradation product, D-dimer, fibrinogen, thrombin antithrombin complex, plasmin plasminogen complex, prothrombin time, and activated partial thrombin time were measured on the day of admission and on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 thereafter. Mortality over 28 days was also compared.

Platelet counts and antithrombin were significantly higher in the antithrombin group on day 7 and on days 5 and 7, respectively. Antithrombin increased to the normal level on day 1 in the antithrombin group but on day 7 in the gabexate mesilate group. C-reactive protein, fibrinogen degradation product, D-dimer, thrombin antithrombin complex, plasmin plasminogen complex, and prothrombin time were lower in the antithrombin group; but the differences were not significant. The 28-day mortality was 2 of 8 in the antithrombin group and 3 of 8 in the gabexate mesilate group, but they were not significantly different.

Antithrombin may be a more effective treatment for coagulation and fibrinolysis disorders than gabexate mesilate in infection-related DIC, but there was no difference in 28-day mortality.