Presence of antiheparin/platelet factor 4 immunoglobulin g is associated with poor prognosis in patients with suspected disseminated intravascular coagulation

Abstract

The underlying inflammatory or infectious condition in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) may stimulate the formation of antiheparin/platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibody, and the resulting antibody may affect the clinical course of DIC. We investigated the prognosis of antiheparin/PF4 antibodies in patients with suspected DIC. We measured heparin/PF4 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and total antibody levels using an automated chemiluminescence system in 118 patients with DIC. Of the 118 patients, 13 (11.0%) patients were positive for total antiheparin/PF4, and 6 (5.1%) patients were positive for antiheparin/PF4 IgG. These 13 patients were negative for platelet-activating antibody and had low-heparin-induced thrombocytopenia probability scores. Patients with antiheparin/PF4 IgG were older and had lower antithrombin levels than patients without antiheparin/PF4 IgG. Patients with antiheparin/PF4 IgG had a higher risk of mortality than those without antiheparin/PF4 IgG. The presence of antiheparin/PF4 IgG in old age or low antithrombin level patients with DIC with old age or low antithrombin level suggests a poor prognosis.