Blood Coagulation Disturbances During Oliguria And Polyuria Of Acute Renal Failure In Man
The blood coagulation system makes a significant contribution to renal damage in many disease processes. Intrarenal coagulation appears to occur in a wide variety of diseases as a primary or secondary event. As there is evidence that intraglomerular coagulation is a significant factor in the development and maintenance of oliguria in acute ischemic renal failure, blood coagulation investigations were performed in 20 patients with acute renal failure of varied etiology. The investigations were done on a daily basis from the onset of oliguria (urine flow <20 ml/h)until serum creatinine declined to less than 2,0 mg%. Thus, we were able to detect changes in blood coagulation during oliguria and polyuria. We found an enhanced thrombin generation in both oliguria and polyria. Fibrin monomer complexes were significantly increased in both states, but more predominantly in polyuria. Factor VIII and alpha-1 antitrypsin activities were also elevated. PTT and r- and k-time in TEG were shortened more in polyuria than in oliguria, whereas fibrinogen was elevated more in oliguria than in polyuria. Factor XIII activity and prothrombin complex activity (Quick’s test) were lowered in both states, the lowest values of the former being found in polyuria, the lowest values of the latter in oliguria with a normalizing tendency in the following days. Fibrinolytic activity was also decreased. No significant changes were found in plasminogen, antithrombin III, alpha-2 macroglobulin, factor V and thrombin time. In summary, we found a hypercoagulability in these patients with acute renal failure, which was more predominant during polyuria and which correlated with the tendency to thrombosis and to shorter indwelling periods of i.v. catheters in this state. Consequently, the changes in blood coagulation of 3 patients with acute postrenal failure were not as significant as those found in the other patients. The treatment with anticoagulants in patients with acute renal failure will be discussed.