Benefit Profile of Thrombomodulin Alfa Combined with Antithrombin Concentrate in Patients with Sepsis-Induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Clinical practice guidelines for management of disseminated intravascular coagulation in Japan 2024: significance of guidelines developed for each underlying disease

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a severe condition characterized by systemic, persistent activation of coagulation in the presence of an underlying disease, leading to the formation of microthrombi in small blood vessels. In DIC, fibrinolysis is also activated alongside coagulation, but the extent of fibrinolysis varies significantly depending on the underlying condition. The classification of DIC types is crucial not only for understanding the pathophysiology involved, but also for selecting appropriate treatment strategies. Internationally, DIC is often associated with sepsis, typically presenting with ischemic organ damage. However, it is important to recognize that some forms of DIC exhibit minimal ischemic organ damage but severe bleeding symptoms. When diagnosing and treating DIC, considering the underlying condition and disease type can lead to better clinical outcomes. This underscores the need for DIC management guidelines that are based on an understanding of the underlying disease. The newly released "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Japan 2024" offer the first comprehensive guidelines for detailed management based on specific underlying conditions, providing a groundbreaking contribution to the global DIC clinical community.

Effects of combination therapy of antithrombin and thrombomodulin for sepsis-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) syndrome is a highly lethal condition characterized by the complication of multiple organ damage. Although the effects of combined antithrombin (AT) and recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM) on DIC syndrome have previously been examined, the results are inconsistent and inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review on the combined administration of AT and rTM for the treatment of septic DIC to investigate the superiority of the combination therapy over either AT or rTM monotherapy using a random-effects analysis model.

METHOD

We searched electronic databases, including Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Igaku-Chuo Zasshi (ICHU-SHI) Japanese Central Review of Medicine Web from inception to January 2022. Studies assessing the efficacy of combined AT and rTM were included. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was occurrence of serious bleeding complications compared to monotherapy. We presented the pooled odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) depending on reporting results in each primary study.

RESULTS

We analyzed seven enrolled clinical trials, all of which were observational studies. Combination therapy had a non-significant favorable association with lower 28-day mortality compared to monotherapy (HR 0.67 [0.43-1.05], OR 0.73 [0.45-1.18]). The I2 values were 60% and 72%, respectively, suggesting high heterogeneity. As a secondary outcome, bleeding complications were similar between the two groups (pooled OR 1.11 [0.55-2.23], I2 value 55%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the findings in this analysis could not confirm a statistically significant effect of AT and rTM combination therapy for septic DIC, it showed a promising effect in terms of improving mortality. The incidence of bleeding was low and clinically feasible. Further research is warranted to draw more conclusive results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN ID: 000049820).

Comparison of the prognostic value of four different critical illness scores in patients with sepsis-induced coagulopathy

In patients with sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC), the Chinese DIC scoring system (CDSS) of the Chinese Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis score, the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) score, the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH), and the Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress Adverse outcomes with Early implementation of the ACC/AHA Guidelines (CRUSADE) score were compared for their predictive significance (SIC). From August 2021 through August 2022, 92 SIC patients hospitalized in our hospital's Department of Critical Care Medicine served as study participants. Groups of patients were created with a bad prognosis (n = 35) and a favorable prognosis (n = 57) 14 days following admission. Electronic medical records were used to compile patient information such as demographics (gender, age, and body mass index), medical history (hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease), treatment (mechanical ventilation, APACHE II score at admission), and outcomes (results). All patients' JAAM, CDSS, ISTH, and CRUSADE scores were recorded. The APACHE II scores of the group with a poor prognosis were noticeably (p < 0.05) higher upon admission than those of the group with a favorable prognosis. The poor prognosis group had higher JAAM, ISTH, CDSS, and CRUSADE scores than the good prognosis group (all p < 0.05). Partial coagulation indicators in fibrinogen, D-dimer, activated partial thromboplastin time, and prothrombin time were positively linked with JAAM, ISTH, CDSS, and CRUSADE (all p < 0.05). At admission, the JAAM, ISTH, CDSS, CRUSADE, and APACHE II scores were independently linked with SIC patients' prognosis (all p < 0.05) in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve for predicting the prognosis of SIC patients using the JAAM, ISTH, CDSS, and CRUSADE4 scores was 0.896, 0.870, 0.852, and 0.737, respectively, with 95% CI being 0.840-0.952, 0.805-0.936, 0.783-0.922 and 0.629-0.845, respectively (all p < 0.05). The prognosis of SIC patients may be predicted in part by their JAAM, ISTH, CDSS, and CRUSADE4 scores, with the CDSS score being the most accurate. This research provides important recommendations for improving the care of patients with SIC.

The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of sepsis-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation

BACKGROUND

The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) released overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) diagnostic criteria in 2001. Since then, DIC has been understood as the end-stage consumptive coagulopathy and not the therapeutic target. However, DIC is not merely a decompensated coagulation disorder, but also includes early stages with systemic activation in coagulation. Thus, the ISTH has recently released sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) criteria that can diagnose compensated-phase of coagulopathy with readily available biomarkers.

MAIN BODY

DIC is a laboratory-based diagnosis due to various critical conditions, although sepsis is the most common underlying disease. The pathophysiology of sepsis-associated DIC is multifactorial, and in addition to coagulation activation with suppressed fibrinolysis, multiple inflammatory responses are initiated by activated leukocytes, platelets, and vascular endothelial cells as part of thromboinflammation. Although overt DIC diagnostic criteria were established by ISTH to diagnose the advanced stage of DIC, additional criteria that can detect an earlier stage of DIC were needed for potential therapeutic considerations. Accordingly, the ISTH introduced SIC criteria in 2019 that are easy to use and require only platelet count, prothrombin time-international normalized ratio, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score. SIC score can be used to evaluate disease severity and determine the timing of potential therapeutic interventions. One of the major disadvantages in treating sepsis-associated DIC is the lack of availability of specific therapeutic approaches beyond treating the underlying infection. Clinical trials to date have failed because included patients who were not coagulopathic. Nevertheless, in addition to infection control, anticoagulant therapy will be the choice for sepsis-associated DIC. Therefore, the efficacy of heparin, antithrombin, and recombinant thrombomodulin has to be proven in future clinical studies.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to develop a novel therapeutic strategy against sepsis-associated DIC and improve the outcomes. Consequently, we recommend screening and monitoring DIC using SIC scoring system.

Endothelial dysfunction and immunothrombosis in sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by multiorgan dysfunction caused by a dysregulated or over-reactive host response to infection. During sepsis, the coagulation cascade is triggered by activated cells of the innate immune system, such as neutrophils and monocytes, resulting in clot formation mainly in the microcirculation, a process known as immunothrombosis. Although this process aims to protect the host through inhibition of the pathogen’s dissemination and survival, endothelial dysfunction and microthrombotic complications can rapidly lead to multiple organ dysfunction. The development of treatments targeting endothelial innate immune responses and immunothrombosis could be of great significance for reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with sepsis. Medications modifying cell-specific immune responses or inhibiting platelet–endothelial interaction or platelet activation have been proposed. Herein, we discuss the underlying mechanisms of organ-specific endothelial dysfunction and immunothrombosis in sepsis and its complications, while highlighting the recent advances in the development of new therapeutic approaches aiming at improving the short- or long-term prognosis in sepsis.

Management Strategies in Septic Coagulopathy: A Review of the Current Literature

One of the 'organs' that can be affected by sepsis is the coagulation system. Coagulopathy in sepsis may take the form of sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) or sepsis-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). It is important to identify SIC early, as at this stage of coagulopathy anticoagulants may be of the greatest benefit. The most recent diagnostic scoring systems for septic coagulopathy come from the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. Recommendations regarding the management of septic coagulopathy differ between organizations. Moreover, septic coagulopathy is an area of intense research in recent years. Therefore we searched three databases to review the most recent management strategies in septic coagulopathy. The mainstream management strategies in septic coagulopathy include the causal treatment of sepsis, unfractionated heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin, antithrombin, and recombinant human thrombomodulin. The last two have been associated with the highest survival benefit. Nevertheless, the indiscriminate use of these anticoagulants should be avoided due to the lack of mortality benefit and increased risk of bleeding. The early diagnosis of SIC and monitoring of coagulation status during sepsis is crucial for the timely management and selection of the most suitable treatment at a time. New directions in septic coagulopathy include new diagnostic biomarkers, dynamic diagnostic models, genetic markers for SIC management, and new therapeutic agents. These new research avenues may potentially result in timelier SIC diagnosis and improved management of all stages of septic coagulopathy by making it more effective, safe, and personalized.