Problems of diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Acute generalized intravascular coagulation is regularly associated with fibrinolysis. Evidence of the clotting process includes thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, prolongation of the prothrombin time (deficiency of factor V and fibrinogen) and of the partial thromboplastin time (factor VIII is also deficient). Evidence of fibrinolysis is elevation of fibrinolytic split products (FSP or FDP). A positive protamine gel results from both coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Functional platelet defects and their laboratory evaluation.

Primary diseases of platelet function include Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, hereditary platelet release abnormalities (storage pool disease and release defect), Bernard-Soulier giant platelet syndrome, and platelet factor 3 defects. Qualitative defects of platelets are associated with many diseases, notably of the liver and kidney, and with the use of many drugs, particularly aspirin.