Abstract
The decreased capacity of the liver to synthesize proteins is the main cause of decreased blood levels of clotting factors II, V, VII, IX, X and of antithrombin III in patients with liver disease. Therefore, determination of the activity or concentration of these coagulation proteins is a useful test of liver function and guide to prognosis, provided that other mechanisms which may influence the blood level are carefully considered. Clotting factor assays have an only limited value for the differential diagnosis in liver disease.
MeSH terms
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Acute Disease
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Antithrombins / pharmacology
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Blood Coagulation Disorders / complications*
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Blood Coagulation Tests
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / complications
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Chronic Disease
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Factor IX / metabolism
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Factor V / metabolism
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Factor VII / metabolism
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Factor VIII / metabolism
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Factor X / metabolism
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Factor XIII / metabolism
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Fibrinogen / metabolism
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Hepatitis / complications
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Humans
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Jaundice, Chronic Idiopathic / complications
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Liver Cirrhosis / complications
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Liver Diseases / complications*
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Liver Function Tests
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Liver Neoplasms / complications
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Neoplasm Metastasis
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Prothrombin / metabolism
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Vitamin K / metabolism
Substances
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Antithrombins
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Vitamin K
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Factor V
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Factor VII
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Prothrombin
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Factor VIII
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Factor IX
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Factor X
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Fibrinogen
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Factor XIII