Positivity of paracoagulation tests in a previously studied group of 80 patients with chronic active liver disease did not exceed 5-10% of the cases. In the present study, plasma samples from 20 cases of decompensated liver cirrhosis, assessed by liver biopsy, were investigated by means of agarose cromatography. Fibrinogen related materials were measured immunologically and by Staphylococcal Clumping Test.First appearance of fibrinogen-like materials occurred at earlier fractions in cirrhotic patients in comparison with normal controls. The relative amount of soluble fibrin monomer complexes (SFMC) as referred to total fibrinogen was significantly increased. No correlation was found between the amount of SFMC and the severity of fibrinogen polymerisation defect.Circulating SFMC are therefore present in severe liver cirrhosis. However, DIC may not be the only proposed explanation for this finding.
Classification and Treatment of Chronic Active Liver Disease
