A review of transfusion- and trauma-induced hypocalcemia: Is it time to change the lethal triad to the lethal diamond?
A review of transfusion- and trauma-induced hypocalcemia: Is it time to change the lethal triad to the lethal diamond?
复制标题
DOI:
10.1097/ta.0000000000002570
复制
发表时间:
2020-03-01
影响因子:
3.4
通讯作者:
Siegler, Jeffrey
中科院分区:
文献类型:
--
作者:
Ditzel, Ricky Michael, Jr.;Anderson, Justin Lee;Siegler, Jeffrey
The principles of managing patients suffering from hemorrhagic shock have evolved over time. It is well supported that patients who continue to suffer from shock or hypoperfusion are at greater risk of morbidity and mortality attributable to blood failure precipitated by hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis. 1 These three conditions—hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis—collectively known as the lethal triad, serve as the foundational physiologic insults that describe the mechanisms of action of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and drive the current hemorrhagic shock resuscitation efforts. 2, 3 Hypothermia, defined as a core temperature under 35 C, exerts deleterious effects on hemostasis by inhibiting thromboxane A 2, causing a reduction in local vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation at the site of injury in addition to altering the rate at which enzymatic process occurs throughout the clotting cascade. Moreover, hypothermia is associated with a leftward shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve and a reduction in myocardial contractility, both leading to reduced tissue oxygenation and an increased state of oxygen debt. These mechanisms described previously directly correlate with coagulopathy and acidosis as irreversible shock progresses throughout the lethal triad. Coagulopathy, traditionally regarded as an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.5 or greater in an acute setting, may additionally be exacerbated by hemodilution of platelets and clotting factors through crystalloid infusions. 4, 5 Lastly, acidosis or serum pH of less than 7.36 is associated with a reduction in coagulation factor activity and increases in fibrin degradation rate and coagulation times, further exacerbating the traumatic hemorrhage induced coagulopathy. 6 It is through these mechanisms by which each element of the lethal triad overlaps upon the others. Although the use of whole blood (WB) and blood products has assisted in decreasing mortality for patients suffering from the lethal triad, the authors of this review believe that there are still gaps in the management of trauma-induced coagulopathy. The goal of this literature review was to demonstrate through examination of previous studies the prevalence of hypocalcemia in trauma and the need to address this deficiency in management of severely injured patients. From this, we hope to promote targeted research in the management of hypocalcemia in trauma and support recently published guidelines in trauma management that accounts for this gap in trauma-induced coagulopathy. We believe that early identification and correction of hypocalcemia in this patient population could be a missing link to the management and prevention of trauma-induced coagulopathy and effectively change the descriptor from the lethal triad to the lethal diamond.