[Changes in levels of blood coagulation inhibitors in cirrhosis. Prospective study in 33 patients]

The variations of the main plasma inhibitors of coagulation were prospectively studied in 33 cirrhotic patients, of which 9 presented with hepatocellular carcinoma, 5 of those associated with portal vein thrombosis. The mean prothrombin index was 49 +/- 16 percent. All plasma values of inhibitors were diminished, but to varied degrees: the mean values were: protein C (PC): 33 +/- 15 percent, antithrombin III (AT III): 50 +/- 23 percent, total protein S (PST): 67 +/- 20 percent. The more severe the cirrhosis, the more decreased were the values of antithrombin II and protein C. According to Child classes A, B, and C, antithrombin III plasma values were 64 +/- 20, 50 +/- 21 and 26 +/- 11 percent and protein C values were 43 +/- 16, 32 +/- 8 and 19 +/- 9 percent, respectively. We were able to define expected plasma values of the plasma inhibitors as a function of coagulation factors during cirrhosis; AT III (percent) = 1.16 x factor II (percent) - 7.85; PC (percent) = 0.49 x AT III (percent) + 8.96; PC (percent) = 0.55 x factor II (percent) + 5.55; PST (percent) = 0.76 x factor II (percent) + 28.74. However those equations cannot be extrapolated to patients presenting with cirrhosis complicated with portal thrombosis.