Features of Blood Clotting on Thromboelastography in Hospitalized Patients With Cirrhosis

Thromboelastography (TEG) provides a global assessment of hemostasis and may have value for patients with cirrhosis who have multiple hemostatic defects. We sought to examine the characteristics of TEG in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and its relationship with outcomes.

We performed a cohort study of all adults with cirrhosis hospitalized at Indiana University Hospital between November 2015 and October 2018 with a TEG. We examined the relationships among TEG, traditional measures of hemostasis, liver disease severity, and outcomes, including mortality, discharge to hospice, length of stay, and 30-day readmission.

A total of 344 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. R-value was elevated (≥10 min) in 4.5%, alpha angle was low (<45°) in 9.3%, and maximum amplitude (maximum amplitude) was low (<55 mm) in 72.1%. K-value, alpha angle, and maximum amplitude were all correlated with both platelet count and fibrinogen (absolute rho range 0.52-0.67); R-value and international normalized ratio (INR) were not strongly correlated with traditional measures or TEG, respectively. Patients with bleeding had hypercoagulable profiles, and patients with infection had increased R-value and decreased alpha angle. A total of 35.8% died or were discharged to hospice, and these patients had a greater R-value and smaller alpha angle. However, after adjustment for model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), neither R-value nor alpha angle were associated with discharge outcomes.

TEG provides insight into the hemostatic state of patients with cirrhosis beyond that of standard measures of hemostasis. It is associated with liver disease severity and outcomes and may play a role complementary to standard measures of hemostasis in this population.