Anticoagulant modulation of inflammation in severe sepsis

Figure 1 Pathogenesis of disseminated intravascular coagulation in sepsis[10]. Through the generation of proinflammatory cytokines and the activation of monocytes, bacteria cause the up-regulation of tissue factor as well as the release of microparticles expressing tissue factor, thus leading to the activation of coagulation. Proinflammatory cytokines also cause the activation of endothelial cells, a process that impairs anti-coagulant mechanisms and down regulates fibrinolysis by generating increased amounts of plasminogen activator inhibitor. Copyright © 2014 Massachusetts Medical Society (used with permission).