Prolonged Prothrombin Time and Partial Thromboplastin Time in Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation not Due to Deficiency of Factors V and VIII

S ummary . In an investigation of 34 patients with laboratory evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), 17 were found to have a prolonged prothrombin time, 11 a prolonged partial thromboplastin time, and only 10 a prolonged thrombin time. Coagulation factor assays in these patients revealed deficiency patterns compatible with vitamin K deficiency and/or liver disease. In addition, a prolonged prothrombin time rapidly returned …