Use of soluble fibrin antigen instead of D-dimer as fibrin-related marker may enhance the prognostic power of the ISTH overt DIC score.

The overt DIC score of the DIC subcommittee of the ISTH includes a fibrin-related marker (FRM) as indicator of intravascular fibrin formation. The type of marker to be used has not been specified, but D-dimer antigen, or fibrin degradation products are used by most investigators. Soluble fibrin complexes have been suggested as more specific indicators of acute intravascular fibrin formation. The aim of the present study was to compare the predictive value of the overt DIC score concerning clinical outcome in a surgical intensive care cohort, using either D-dimer antigen, or soluble fibrin antigen as FRM. The cutoff values for 2 and 3 score points for the FRM were assigned on the basis of the 25% and 75% quartiles of 1870 plasma samples obtained from 359 ICU patients during a period of 6 months. For 331 patients with complete diagnostic workup and day 1 blood samples, the Iatro SF as FRM component of the overt DIC score displayed the highest prognostic power concerning clinical outcome. The 28-day mortality of patients with overt DIC at day 1, using Iatro SF as FRM assay was 50.0%, whereas 28-day mortality of patients without overt DIC was 14.0% (p <0.0001). Using MDA D-dimer, and TINAquant D-dimer, 28-day mortality was between 35.5% and 39.3% in patients with overt DIC, and 15.5% to 15.6% in patients without overt DIC. Selection of the FRM as component of the DIC score has a small, but relevant impact on the prognostic performance of the overt DIC score. The present data on the distribution of values may provide a basis for the selection of appropriate cutoff points for assigning 2, and 3 points in the score.