Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) Score and Organ Dysfunction in Septic Shock Patients

Septic shock is common complication in patients with critical illnesses, with higher incidence in low and medium income countries like ours. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is also common in patients presenting to intensive care units. Further DIC is common coexisting condition seen in many patients presenting with sepsis and septic shock. Both DIC and septic shock individually are associated with very high mortality and morbidity and coexistence of both increase risk manifold. Organ dysfunction is a complication of both septic shock and DIC individually and in presence of coexistence risk further multiply. DIC scoring of every patient at risk as in patients presenting with septic shock help us to predict about patients having more chances to convert to overt DIC. Understanding effects of DIC on organ dysfunction in septic shock patients can help to prognosticate and guide towards early intervention. Also, there is paucity of literature on effect of DIC score changes on organ dysfunction in patients with septic shock.