Which laboratory findings indicate Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)?

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) is characterized by a complex set of laboratory findings, primarily involving alterations in blood coagulation factors and platelet counts. In DIC, there is a consumption of clotting factors and platelets, resulting in thrombocytopenia, which is indicated by a platelet count of less than 150,000. This finding underscores the pathological activation of coagulation pathways alongside the subsequent consumption of platelets.

Increased fibrinogen levels would typically suggest a compensatory response to clotting, which is usually not seen in DIC, where fibrinogen levels can actually decrease due to increased consumption. Decreased PTT would imply a normal or increased clotting ability, contrary to the expected findings in DIC, where PTT is often prolonged due to depletion of clotting factors. A normal PT would also suggest that there is no significant derangement of the extrinsic pathway, making it less likely in the context of DIC, where both PT and PTT are commonly prolonged.

Therefore, the presence of thrombocytopenia is a key indicator of DIC, establishing its importance in the diagnostic criteria for this serious condition.