Serum antithrombin III level in multi-trauma patients who develop sepsis

Abstract

Background: Sepsis is one of the most important causes of mortality in trauma patients. Sometimes its diagnosis could be difficult, especially at early stages. It is clear that early diagnosis of sepsis, especially with serum markers, may decrease the rate of death in trauma patients. Investigation to find a rapid as well as accurate serum marker indicative of sepsis seems necessary. Seum antithrombin III (AT III) level may predict sepsis occurrence in multi-trauma patients. Methods: From January 2010 to June 2010, 50 patients with multi-trauma injuries were enrolled in our study. All of them were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of neurosurgery department, Imam Reza university hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Twenty-four patients demonstrated sepsis manifestations (sepsis group), but 26 patients did not (non-sepsis group). During ICU stay, blood levels of AT III were measured on days 0, 3, 7. Then, the obtained values were compared between the two groups. Results: Mean (ط¢آ±standard deviation, SD) serum AT III level upon hospitalization was 95.00 (ط¢آ±15.55) g/ml in sepsis group and 106.28 (ط¢آ±17.45) g/ml in non-sepsis group (P= 0.02). Serum AT III level variations during an inter-group study was not significant in non-sepsis group (P= 0.74), but it was statistically significant in sepsis group (P< 0.001). Serum AT III level variations were studied in patients with and without sepsis at different time points with repeated measured ANOVA test. This analysis showed that the variations were statically significant in both groups (P< 0.001). Conclusion: Serum AT III level was lower in trauma patients who developed sepsis. Inter-group study showed that serum AT III level variations were statistically significant in the sepsis group but not in the non sepsis patients. So AT III serum level measurement may predict the occurrence of sepsis in traumatic patients earlier.