Antithrombin III concentrates for treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Coagulation Disorders
• Thrombotic Diseases

Background:

• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a serious condition involving abnormal blood clotting.
• Treatment of childhood DIC often involves anticoagulants like heparin.
• The role of antithrombin-III (AT-III) in DIC treatment requires further investigation.

Observation:

• Six children aged 1 month to 5 years with DIC were treated with AT-III concentrates and/or heparin.
• One child receiving only AT-III concentrate showed normalized platelet count with increased plasma AT-III levels.
• Four of five children treated with both AT-III concentrate and heparin showed normalized coagulation abnormalities within 5 days.

Findings:

• AT-III concentrate administration appears to improve the effectiveness of heparin therapy in pediatric DIC.
• Combined AT-III concentrate and heparin treatment demonstrated significant normalization of coagulation parameters.
• Normalization of platelet count correlated with increased plasma AT-III levels in one case.

Implications:

• AT-III concentrates may be a valuable adjunct to heparin for treating childhood DIC.
• The combination of AT-III concentrates and heparin represents a safe and effective therapeutic strategy.
• Further research into AT-III's role in DIC could lead to improved treatment protocols for pediatric patients.