Infection
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Comparative Study
Severity of multiple organ failure (MOF) but not of sepsis correlates with irreversible platelet degranulation.
Multiple hemostatic changes occur in sepsis and multiple organ failure (MOF). To evaluate the role of platelets in patients with sepsis and MOF, we examined changes in surface glycoproteins on circulating platelets of 14 patients with suspected sepsis and MOF. The severity of sepsis and MOF was assessed by the Elebute and APACHE II scoring systems, respectively. ⋯ In contrast, degranulation of granule glycoproteins was significantly elevated in MOF (p < 0.05) which well with severity of MOF (GMP-140, r = 0.611, p = 0.013; TSP, r = 0.643, p = 0.026). We speculate that platelets in sepsis circulate in a hyperaggregable but still reversible state that results in increased risk of microthrombotic events. In the course of the disease, irreversible platelet degranulation of adhesion molecules occurs that may play an important role in the development of MOF.