To test the hypothesis that an impaired coagulation system facilitates rapid expansion of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH), coagulation markers were assayed in plasma and their relations to both the hemorrhage size and its progressive expansion were analyzed. Ninety patients with HICH were studied. On admission, plasma samples were taken for the coagulation assay. Hematoma volume was calculated from a computed tomography (CT) scan and its enlargement was estimated by comparison to the volume of the hematoma calculated from a second CT scan taken later within 24 hr. Nine out of 90 patients showed enlargement in their hematoma size (enlarged hematoma group). Four of the enlarged hematoma group fell into acute fatal deterioration and died. Plasma levels of both fibrino peptide A (17.2+/-7.8 vs. 4.0+/-0.6 ng/ml, P < 0.05) and thrombin-antithrombin complex (21.9+/-3.1 vs. 7.4+/-2.8 ng/ml, not significant) were higher in the unchanged group than those in the enlarged hematoma group. In the hematoma-enlarged group fibrino-peptide A level did not exceed 10 ng/ml. In the hematoma unchanged group thrombin-AT-III complex values were positively correlated to hematoma volume. Thus, the coagulation system seemed to be highly activated depending on the hemorrhage volume within three hr after ictus in hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage patients. When thrombin generation was not sufficient after bleeding, the hematoma seemed to be progressively enlarged. In conclusion, plasma levels of the coagulation markers on admission could be useful predictors of the possible enlargement of hematoma which leads to a poor outcome.
