Circulating levels of platelet α-granule cytokines in trauma patients.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: To elucidate whether platelets differentiate cytokine release following trauma, we prospectively measured three major platelet-derived cytokines in 213 trauma patients on hospital arrival. METHODS: We measured plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory ß-thromboglobulins (ßTGs), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGFß1) and the pro-inflammatory platelet factor 4 (PF4) cytokines. We also measured soluble glycoprotein VI (sGPVI), procoagulant platelet microparticles (PMPs) and white blood cell (WBC) counts, and evaluated in vitro platelet function in primary and secondary haemostasis by aggregometry and thromboelastometry, respectively. We evaluated associations of each cytokine by multivariate regression including injury severity score (ISS), WBC counts, sGPVI and platelet counts as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Severely injured patients (ISS > 15) had higher levels of ßTGs and TGFß1 (both p < 0.01) but lower levels of PF4 (p = 0.02). GPVI and PMPs levels correlated with TGFß1 and PF4 whereas we found no significant association between cytokine levels and measures of haemostasis. By multivariate regression, a high WBC count was associated with high levels of TGFß1 (p = 0.01) and ßTGs (p < 0.01) but with low levels of PF4 (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Severely injured patients had higher levels of ßTGs and TGFß1 but lower levels of the PF4; a high WBC count predicted this anti-inflammatory profile of platelet cytokines.

Fibrinogen concentrates for bleeding trauma patients: what is the evidence?

INTRODUCTION: A balanced transfusion of red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelets are recommended for massively bleeding trauma patients. Fibrinogen concentrates could potentially lessen or replace the need for fresh frozen plasma and/or platelet transfusions. OBJECTIVE: To provide a review of the literature covering the application of fibrinogen concentrates in trauma care. METHODS: PubMed and Cochrane database search, 'fibrinogen' and ('concentrate' or 'trauma'), not 'congenital', 10 years. RESULTS: Only four papers were identified. None were randomized controlled trials. The main conclusion of these papers was that administration of fibrinogen sometimes together with prothrombin complex concentrate might improve haemostasis in trauma patients resuscitated with synthetic colloids. CONCLUSION: Evidence for the use of fibrinogen concentrate to trauma patients with massive bleeding is lacking. Well-designed prospective, randomized, double-blinded studies evaluating the effect of fibrinogen concentrate, as the only intervention, are urgently needed.