Abstract
Summary
Coagulation studies were performed in 35 consecutive burn patients and in scald burned rats. Between 3 and 10 days after injury, patients exhibited hyperfibrinogenemia, thrombocytosis, and elevated fibrin-fibrinogen split product (FSP) titers. Fibrinogen and (FSP) titers were identical in surviving and nonsurviving patients. A similar response occurred in burned rats, but was preceded in the first hours after injury by evidence of intravascular coagulation. We conclude that elevated FSP titers in the burned patient are not a reflection of classical intravascular coagulation or primary fibrinolysis, but may reflect early local intravascular coagulation in the burn wound, and later a nonspecific or “acute phrase reactant” response.
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