Management of leukaemia-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

Seven patients presenting with DIC in association with acute promyelocytic and myelomonocytic leukaemia were treated with intensive chemotherapy (IC), intensive platelet support (IPS) and continuous heparinization (CH), or IC + CH but minimal platelet support (MPS), or no chemotherapy, no heparin or MPS. All four patients who received IC + IPS + CH achieved remission (survival time: 516, 400+, 371 and 368 days). The remaining three patients died early (survival time: 11, 7 and 3 days). The results suggest that a combination of IC + IPS + CH is essential in the management of leukaemia-related DIC.