J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2006 Dec;30(6):560-564.

Coagulation Status of the Post-acute Spinal Cord Injured Patients

• Shin JB
• Ko HY
• Sohn HJ
• Lee KM
• Han JE
• Shin YB
• Chang JH
• Park JS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is one of the most common complications of acute spinal cord injury (SCI). It is well known that the incidence of DVT in post-acute SCI patients decreases to a level similar to that in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the blood coagulation status and the possibility of DVT occurrence in post-acute SCI patients. METHOD: Twenty-three SCI patients (SCI group) were included in this study. Ten patients having spinal fracture with no evidence of SCI were used as the control group. Coagulation status was examined using factor VIII antigen, factor VIII procoagulant, fibrinogen, D-dimer, protein C, and protein S in both groups. Duplex ultrasonography was performed for the diagnosis of DVT.
RESULTS
Prevalence of the abnormally decreased protein S level was significantly high in the SCI group (87%) than in the control group (30%). Prevalence of the abnormally increased F VIII:Ag, F VIII:C, and fibrinogen levels in the SCI group were significantly high in the SCI group (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
We conclude that post-acute SCI patients may have hypercoagulability. Proper physical prevention and thromboprophylaxis should be considered in post-acute SCI patients because they have relatively higher risk of thromboembolic complication.

Keyword

Deep vein thrombosis; Spinal cord injury; Coagulation status; Hypercoagulability

MeSH Terms

Blood Coagulation
Diagnosis
Factor VIII
Fibrinogen
Humans
Incidence
Prevalence
Protein C
Protein S
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal Cord*
Spinal Fractures
Thrombophilia
Ultrasonography
Venous Thrombosis
Factor VIII
Fibrinogen
Protein C
Protein S