Diagnostic Criteria for Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

Disseminated intravascular coagulation is a condition in which small blood clots develop throughout the bloodstream, blocking small blood vessels. The increased clotting depletes the platelets and clotting factors needed to control bleeding, causing excessive bleeding.

Classification	Definition	Diagnostic criteria
Biological DIC	Hemostatic defect without clinical manifestations	Elevated D-Dimers and 1 major criterion for consumption of platelets or coagulation factors or 2 minor criteria for consumption of platelets or coagulation factors
Clinical DIC	Hemostatic defect with hemorrhagic or ischemic manifestations	Same as above + microvascular bleeding and/or thrombosis
Complicated DIC	Hemostatic defect with hemorrhagic or ischemic manifestations that jeopardize organ function or patient prognosis	Same as above + organ failure (single or multiple)

 

Details of laboratory criteria

D-Dimers greater than 500 µg·L–1

Platelet consumption

• Minor: platelet count between 50 and 100,000·/mm³

• Major: platelet count less than 50,000·/mm³

Consumption of coagulation factors

• Minor: INR of the PT between 1.2 and 1.5

• Major: INR of the PT greater than 1.5

INR of the PT = international normalized ratio of the prothrombin time. The elevation of D-Dimers is not specific to DIC. Similarly, the clinical manifestations of DIC are not specific.