A biochemical study on the level of lipids and glycoproteins in the serum and platelets of liver cirrhotic bleeders.

Bleeding complication and abnormal platelet functions are associated with liver cirrhosis. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the functional integrity of platelets in terms of lipids like cholesterol and phospholipids, glycoproteins and membrane-bound enzymes. Liver cirrhotic patients with bleeding complications were studied. Age and sex matched normal healthy volunteers were also involved in this study as a control group. Levels of cholesterol, phospholipids, glycoproteins and adenosine triphosphatases were assessed in isolated platelet membrane fraction. The level of glycoproteins and the activity of adenosine triphosphatases were found to be decreased significantly in cirrhotic patients. The cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was found to be altered significantly, indicating an alteration in the fluidity of platelet membrane. The results of this study reveal that the functional impairment of platelets in liver cirrhotic patients which is responsible for their bleeding tendency might also be due to altered lipid and enzyme levels in platelet membrane.