Abstract:
In the field of critical care medicine, coagulopathy is no longer viewed as an isolated hemostatic abnormality or thrombotic event, but rather as a core effector of the host/organ unregulated response (HOUR) to severe injury. Conventional monitoring modalities based primarily on plasma coagulation tests exhibit considerable lag and fail to capture the dynamic evolution of hypercoagulability and endothelial injury in the early phase of critical illness. This article systematically proposes the "Critical Care Coagulation Response Assessment and Monitoring System" and establishes a novel conceptual framework that "hypercoagulability is the norm, while hypocoagulability is the consequence." We advocate for viscoelastic testing (VET) as the cornerstone, deeply integrated with the four thrombus-related molecular biomarkers, and combined with conventional coagulation parameters and platelet function analysis, to constitute a multidimensional phenotypic assessment protocol for coagulation responses. Furthermore, we elaborate on how dynamic monitoring of coagulation responses enables the construction of a temporal profile of coagulopathic evolution, allowing early identification of key pathological processes including endothelial glycocalyx shedding, thrombin burst, and fibrinolysis shutdown, thereby distinguishing physiological coagulation responses from pathological coagulopathy/disease and even disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). On this basis, we propose phenotype-guided precision anticoagulation, component blood product transfusion, and endothelial protective strategies, aiming to provide clinicians with a complete closed-loop management framework from mechanistic elucidation to bedside decision-making. Importantly, we position coagulation response management as a critical node in HOUR stewardship-not only pivotal for thrombotic and hemorrhagic risk control, but also a key intervention pathway to prevent disease progression, reduce the incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and ultimately improve outcomes in critically ill patients.