Abstract:Objective To explore the clinical value of four thrombotic molecular markers, including thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), plasmin-α2-antiplasmin complex (PIC), thrombomodulin (TM), and tissue plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor complex (t-PAIC), in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 261 patients suspected of DIC admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2019 to April 2022. According to clinical confirmation, the patients were divided into the DIC group (93 cases) and the non-DIC group (168 cases). The differences in conventional coagulation indicators and novel molecular markers between the two groups were compared. The diagnostic efficacy of molecular markers for DIC was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The differences in molecular markers among DIC patients with distinct disease subtypes and clinical manifestations were analyzed. Meanwhile, the differences in molecular markers between DIC patients with different survival statuses during hospitalization were compared.Results Compared to the non-DIC group, the DIC group exhibited prolonged PT and APTT (P < 0.05), decreased levels of PLT and FIB (P < 0.05), and increased levels of FDP and D-D (P < 0.05). Compared with the non-DIC group, levels of TAT, TM, PIC, t-PAIC, and the TAT/PIC ratio were elevated in the DIC group (P < 0.05). Compared with the hematological tumor group, the infectious disease group showed lower PIC levels (P < 0.05), higher levels of TM and t-PAIC, and a higher TAT/PIC ratio (P < 0.05). Compared with the non-bleeding group, the bleeding group had lower t-PAIC levels and a lower TAT/PIC ratio (P < 0.05), but higher PIC levels (P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that CDSS scores were positively correlated with the levels and TM, TAT, PIC, and t-PAIC, and the TAT/PIC ratio (P < 0.05). The level of FDP was positively correlated with levels of TM, TAT, PIC, and t-PAIC (P < 0.05). The D-D level was positively correlated with levels of TM, TAT, PIC, and t-PAIC (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the combined detection of TM, TAT, D-D, and FDP for diagnosing DIC yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.929 (95% CI: 0.899, 0.959), with a sensitivity of 82.8% (95% CI: 0.751, 0.905) and a specificity of 88.7% (95% CI: 0.839, 0.935). The combined detection of TM, TAT, PIC, t-PAIC, D-D, and FDP yielded an AUC of 0.944 (95% CI: 0.919, 0.970), with a sensitivity of 87.1% (95% CI: 0.803, 0.939) and a specificity of 89.9% (95% CI: 0.853, 0.944). Compared with the non-death group, the death group had a higher age (P < 0.05), higher TM levels (P < 0.05), and lower PIC levels (P < 0.05). Multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that increased age [O^R=1.042 (95% CI: 1.017, 1.068) ] and elevated TM levels [O^R=1.022 (95% CI: 1.001, 1.044) ] were independent risk factors for the prognosis of DIC patients (P < 0.05).Conclusion The thrombotic markers TAT, TM, PIC, and t-PAIC are of great significance for the accurate diagnosis, bleeding risk assessment, and prediction of adverse outcomes in patients with DIC.