Summary Recent technological advances have made it possible to record a variety of platelet indices using automated hematology analyzers. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is associated with the dramatic hemostasis activation, with evidence of fibrin formation and platelet consumption. We investigated the prognostic significance of platelet indices as measured by ADVIA in 222 patients suspected of having DIC. The presence of overt DIC was defined using the scoring system of the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Subcommittee. Twenty‐eight day hospital mortality was used as a clinical prognosis parameter. Median platelet count and platelet‐crit (PCT) levels markedly decreased in nonsurvivors, whereas mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet component distribution width (PCDW) and platelet dry mass distribution width (PMDW) were significantly increased in nonsurvivors. In terms of ROC analysis, which was conducted to predict 28‐day mortality, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were; 0.73 platelet count, 0.72 for PCT, 0.69 for PCDW, 0.65 for PMDW and 0.61 for MPV. The odds ratio of a reduced platelet count for the relative risk of 28‐day mortality was 5.249 (95% CI: 2.399–11.486), and the odds ratio for PCDW was 3.240 and for PMDW 3.262. Among these indices, platelet count, PCDW and PMDW were found to be more predictive of 28‐day hospital mortality. Our results suggest that these indices may provide prognostic information on hospital mortality in the patients suspected of having DIC.

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Steroid hormones modulate a variety of physiological functions in the hypothalamus. We attempted to identify steroid-regulated genes in the rat preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus by comparing differentially expressed mRNAs. Adult female rats were ovariectomized and, 1 week later, a silastic capsule containing 17beta-oestradiol (180 microg/ml) was subcutaneously implanted. After 2 days, a single injection of progesterone (1 mg) was administered at 10.00 h and rats were killed at 17.00 h on the same day. Differential-display polymerase chain reaction followed by Northern blot analysis showed that 10 clones were differentially regulated. Using homology search in Genbank, three genes were identified as sodium, potassium-ATPase beta1, protein kinase C-binding Nell-homologue protein and evectin-1. Further characterization of 10 clones showed that the expression patterns were tissue-specific and differentially regulated during puberty. Among these, mRNAs for protein kinase C-binding Nell-homologue protein, evectin-1 and human CGI-118 protein-like gene were induced after vagina opening, and differentially expressed during the oestrous cycle. Taken together, several steroid-regulated genes identified in the present study may play an important role in regulating hypothalamic functions, including puberty and the oestrous cycle.