Disseminated intravascular coagulation induced with leukocyte procoagulant.

The procoagulant activity of rabbit peritoneal leukocytes significantly increased when the leukocytes were incubated in suspension cultures at 37 C for 24 hours. Intravenous infusions of Iysates of 232 x 10(6) rabbit leukocytes which had been incubated in cultures at 37 C for 24 hours produced disseminated intravascular coagulation and vasculitis involving the pulmonary arteries in normal rabbits. Intraaortic infusions of lysates of 230 x 10(6) similarly incubated leukocytes produced renal thrombosis and renal cortical necrosis in normal rabbits. These observations suggest that the procoagulant of granulocytic leukocytes could play a role in the generalized Shwartzman reaction and other syndromes of disseminated intravascular coagulation.