In 16 patients, 13 with meningococcal infection and 3 suspected to have this infection,
8 patients were found to possess significant higher level of tissue thromboplastin
activity of their monocytes isolated from the blood at the admission to the hospital
than normal. Five of those 8 patients had an extremely high concentration, > 60-300
fold increase, and all these patients died. The exposed tissue thromboplastin activity
on the surface of the endotoxin stimulated monocytes is probably the direct inducer
of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in meningococcal infection.
Keywords
Tissue thromboplastin - Meningococcal infection - Monocyte - stimulation