Bhalli A, Saeed T, Rubab Z, Aftab I, Hussain S, Bashir N, Mohsin S.
Protein C in chronic liver disease.
Biomedica Jan ;30(4):255-7.

Introduction: In chronic liver disease due to chronic hepatitis and underlying cirrhosis, haemostatic imbalance occurs that leads to hypercoagulability, which favors thrombosis. The cause of Hypercoagulability in chronic liver disease is the reduced level of protein C and increased level of factor VIIIa. This study aimed to measure the levels of protein C in chronic liver disease patients. Methodology and Result: It was a cross sectional comparative study and included fifty patients of chronic liver disease. They were further divided into two groups on the basis of their histological stages of fibrosis. Group I included stages 0 – 3 of fibrosis whereas group II included stages 4 – 6 of fibrosis. Each group comprised of 25 patients of CLD. Protein C level was done on all patients by synthetic chromogenic substrate method. Results: Mean ± SD of protein C in group I and II patients was 87.8 ± 15.6 and 35.9 ± 17.2% respectively. These results showed level of PC was reduced in advanced stage of fibrosis when compared with early stage of fibrosis in patients of chronic liver disease. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed when mean levels of PC were compared among two groups; higher in group I as compared to group II. Conclusions: In chronic liver disease protein C may be useful for assessment of hepatocellular damage in cirrhosis.

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