Effects of desmopressin on hemostasis in patients with liver cirrhosis

The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was to investigate the effect of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) on hemostasis in patients with chronic liver disease. Nine consecutive patients with biopsy-proven liver cirrhosis and related coagulation abnormalities received in a random order dDAVP, 0.5 microgram/kg, or saline intravenously. Blood samples were taken before dDAVP infusion and 30, 60 and 180 min after its end. dDAVP infusion induced a statistically significant shortening of the bleeding time from 9 min (range 6.5-15.5) to 6 min (range 4.5-9.5) at 1 h after the infusion. The activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly shortened at 30 and 60 min after dDAVP infusion. Plasma levels of factor VIII, XI and XII coagulant activities were significantly increased at all sampling times after dDAVP infusion. The maximum increase over basal values in plasma levels of factor VIII, XI and XII was 63, 22 and 40%, respectively. dDAVP did not induce any significant changes of prothrombin time, thrombin clotting time, fibrinogen, plasma levels of factor II, V, VII, IX, X, factor XII antigen, protein C (activity and antigen), antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin. Placebo infusion did not produce any significant changes in the evaluated parameters. We conclude that dDAVP can positively influence the hemostatic system in patients with liver cirrhosis. The clinical relevance of this hemostatic improvement deserves further evaluation.