Abstract

Five coagulation tests were performed in 79 randomly selected patients with chronic liver disease to evaluate the overall incidence and types of hemostatic abnormalities. The results were as follows: 1) Majority of the patients(89%) showed one or more abnormal coagulation tests. Most common abnormality was prolonged prothrombin time(80%) followed by decreased platet count(71%), decreased antithrombin III level(66%), hypofibrinogenemia(52%) and porlonged thrombin time(32%) in decreasing order of frequency. 2) The level of antithrombin III(54.0±28.8%), fibrinogen(207.2±145.4㎎/㎗), and platelets(11.9±10.6×104/㎣) were significantly decreased and prothrombin time(18.4±3.2 sec) was significantly prolonged compared to those of normal control. 3) Albumin level was significantly correlated to antithrombin III, fibrinogen, and prothrombin time. Among the coagulation tests, prothrombin time and antithrombin III level seemed to reflect hepatic synthetic function. 4) Frequency of abnormally prolonged prothrombin time was much higher with Behring Thromborel reagent compared to Dade thromboplastin C reagent.