Characteristics of blood hemostatic markers in a patient with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome who actually developed thromboembolism.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a patient with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) demonstrated characteristic changes in the blood hemostatic markers before she developed thromboembolism.

DESIGN: Patients with OHSS had blood drawn to determine hemostatic markers and related factors.

PATIENTS: Twenty-three OHSS patients, including a case complicated with thromboembolism.

SETTING: The IVF-ET program of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Akita, School of Medicine.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood hemostatic markers and related factors.

RESULTS: The patient with thromboembolism demonstrated marked leukocytosis and higher levels of activation in the blood markers related to fibrinolytic system, such as alpha 2 plasmin inhibitor, plasmin-alpha 2 antiplasmin complexes, and D-dimers, before the onset of this episode.

CONCLUSION: Marked leukocytosis and higher levels of activation of the fibrinolytic system may be the signs of imminent thromboembolism in OHSS patients.