The effect of activated protein C in the experimental disseminated intravascular coagulation model formed by lipopolysaccharide infusion

PURPOSE: In this experimental study, activated protein C (APC), which has anticoagulant, antithrombotic, profibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties, was used to prevent coagulopathy in a disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) model formatted with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. METHODS: Twenty-five Wistar albino rats weighting 280 – 320 g each were used. They were randomly divided into three groups: sham, control and study groups. To sham group (n = 5), only normal saline was infused. To control (n = 10) and study groups (n = 10), 30 mg/kg LPS was infused for 4 h from femoral vein. After LPS infusion, 100 µg/kg recombinant APC was given during 4 h in study group. Eight hours later, blood samples were taken from abdominal aorta and the animals sacrificed. From these samples, platelet, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen and D-dimer levels were studied. RESULTS: Platelet counts and fibrinogen levels were significantly lower in control and study groups than sham group (p < 0.05). The PT, aPTT and D-dimer levels were significantly higher in control and study groups than in sham group (p < 0.05). When comparing control and study groups, platelet counts were not statistically different (p = 0.36). However, the difference of the fibrinogen levels was significant between these groups (p = 0.0001). While PT and aPTT were longer in the study group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), D-dimer levels were lower in the study group than in control (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Use of APC can prevent hypercoagulation and consumption coagulopathy in the DIC as a result of correcting hematological parameters other than prolongation of coagulation time.