Hemostatic parameters in patients with spinal cord injury in subacute and chronic phase of the rehabilitation

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to measure hemostatic markers after SCI.

Design: Assesing changes in coagulation and fibrynilitic system in SCI patients in different time post injury to Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Rehabilitation Department of the Bydgoszcz University Hospital, Poland from 2011 to 2017.

Participants: SCI patient during acute and chronic rehabilitation (N = 88).

Outcome Measures: Assesing following parameters: platelet counts and levels of D-dimer, antithrombin III (ATIII), tissue factor (TF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP).

Interventions: Eighty-eight SCI patients were divided into three groups based on the time elapsed from injury: group I (three weeks to three months), group II (three to twelve months) and group III (more than twelve months). All patients underwent ultrasonography (US) to detect acute or chronic recanalized deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Platelet counts and levels of D-dimer, ATIII, TF, TFPI and CRP were assessed. TF and TFPI levels were measured in the control group of forty healthy individuals without SCI, the rest of the parameters were compared to laboratory norms.

Results: D-dimer levels were significantly higher in group I compared to group II (P = .0002) and group III (P < .001). Group II had higher D-dimer levels than group III (P = .032). TFPI levels were higher in group II compared with group III (P = .0041) and control group (P = .000033). TF was significantly higher in all the SCI groups compared with the control group (P < .001).

Conclusions: D-dimer and TF levels were still elevated twelve months after SCI. TF levels were also elevated over 12 months after inury. The results may indicate that sub-acute and even chronic SCI patients have disturbed coagulation and fibrynolitic system.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injury
• Coagulation