Evaluation of hypercoagulability in septic abortion.

Soluble fibrin monomer complexes (SFMC) were determined in patients with septic abortion (body temperatures of more than 39 degree C and/or chills without apparent signs of endotoxic shock), with infected abortion, with non-infected abortion and with normal pregnancies. Quantitative gel filtration (4% agarose) of beta-alanine precipitated plasma samples yielded the relative (percent of total fibrinogen content) and absolute (mg/100 ml plasma) amount of SFMC. The relative (5.5+/-1.4%, mean+/-SD) and absolute (21.5+/-8.6 mg/100 ml) amount of SFMC was significantly increased in patients with septic abortion compared to patients with normal pregnancies or non-infected abortion (p less than 0.001). Patients with infected abortion (p less than 0.001). Patients with infected abortion already revealed increased levels of SFMC (4.3+/-1.2%, 14.2+/-6.8 mg/100 ml) though their platelet count was still unaltered (infected abortion: 221+/-47 X 10(3) platelets/mm3; septic abortion; 99+/-36 X 10(3) platelets/mm3). The use of heparin in patients with septic abortion resulted in a decrease in SFMC. Chain characterization of SFMC frequently revealed a slight degradation of the alpha-chains probably due to fibrinolytic activity in vivo; gamma-gamma dimers representing intermolecular covalent bindings were not observed. The findings are in agreement with our former assumption that patients with septic abortion have a pronounced state of hypercoagulability.