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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Assessment of Plasma Coagulation on Liver Tissue in a Large Animal Model In Vivo
Published on: August 4, 2018
Balanced haemostasis with both hypo- and hyper-coagulable features in critically ill patients with
Caleb Fisher1, Vishal C Patel1, Sidsel Hyldgaard Stoy2
1Liver Intensive Care Unit, Institute of Liver Studies, King College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Background:
Cirrhotic patients have complex haemostatic abnormalities. Current evidence suggests stable cirrhotic (SC) patients have a "re-balanced" haemostatic state. However, limited data exists in acute decompensated (AD) or acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients.
Methods:
We utilised thrombin generation analysis, fibrinolysis assessment, and evaluation of haemostatic parameters to assess haemostasis in liver disease of progressive severity.
Results:
The study cohorts were comprised of: SC, n=8; AD n=44; ACLF, n=17; and Healthy Control (HC), n=35. There was a progressive increase across the cohorts in INR (p=0.0001), Factor VIII (p=0.0001) and VWF levels (p=0.0001) and a correspondingly decrease in anti-thrombin (p=0.0001), ADAMTS-13 (p=0.01) and fibrinogen levels (p=0.0001). In the presence of thrombomodulin, thrombin generation was equivalent or significantly higher in all the cohorts compared to HC (p=0.0001). Compared to AD, ACLF had a lower ETP (p=0.002) and thrombin peak (p=0.0001). There was no significant difference across the cohorts in clot lysis time (p=0.07), although compared to HC, AD had a significantly shorter lysis time (p=0.001).
Conclusions:
Our cohorts, despite significant differences in haemostatic parameters, displayed intact thrombin generation but progressive hypo-functional clot stability and potentially but not universal hyper-functional haemostasis.
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