[Blood coagulation factor levels in candidates for liver transplantation: correlation with disease severity]. / Correlación entre concentraciones de factores de la coagulación en candidatos a trasplante hepático y gravedad de la enfermedad.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To correlate blood coagulation factor levels with disease severity in cirrhotic patients evaluated as candidates for liver transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We included 87 patients (75.9% men) with a mean age of 54+/-9.4 years. Etiology and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class were as follows alcohol-related (36.8%), hepatitis C virus infection (35.6%), hepatitis B virus infection (11.5%) and other (16.1%); class A (13.8%), class B (40.2%) and class C (46%), respectively. The mean value of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 14.5+/-5.9. Levels of factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX and X were compared between each CTP grade and with the MELD score. RESULTS: Except for factor VIII, all the clotting factors were reduced in our series (in particular factors II, V and VII) and deficiencies in these factors were closely related to CTP grade with statistical significance for stage C (p <0.05). We also found a marked inverse correlation between the MELD score and factors II, V, VII, IX and X values (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A correlation was found between reduced levels of factors II, V, VII, IX and X in liver cirrhosis and the severity of liver disease.