Clinical evaluation of low-molecular-weight heparin (FR-860) on disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)--a multicenter co-operative double-blind trial in comparison with heparin.

This study was evaluated the effectiveness, safety and utility of FR-860 and to compare those with heparin in patients with Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). A diagnosis of DIC was made based on the criteria proposed by the Research Committee on DIC in the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan. FR-860 (FR group, 75 anti-factor Xa international units/kg/day) and Heparin (HP group, 240 units/kg/day) were administered for 5 days by continuous intravenous infusion. The total number of enrolled patients was 126 cases, and after excluding 1 case a total of 125 cases. Moderate or higher improvement of bleeding symptoms was 33.3% in the FR group and 18.5% in the HP group. On the organic symptoms, FR group showed a significantly higher improvement rate than the HP group, 20.5% and 8.2% respectively. On the overall efficacy of cases with pretreatment plasma AT III levels of less than 21 mg/dl or less than 70%. FR group showed a significantly higher improvement rate than the HP group. The safety rate of FR-860 (93.4%) was a significantly higher than that of the HP group (79.7%). Our report demonstrates that FR-860, as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with DIC, is significantly higher safety and clinical utility as compared with heparin.