The rheological profile of chronic liver disease patients in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

In chronic liver diseases, liver function is adversely affected and the consequent alterations in blood constituents are known to affect vascular and rheological parameters. The aim of the study was to analyze the rheological profile in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients in Nigeria.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seventy consecutive CLD patients attending the Gastroenterology Clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria were studied prospectively over an 8 month period (May-December, 2007). Fifty apparently healthy age-and-sex matched individuals who were prescreened and found serologically negative to HIV 1 and 2, HBsAg and HCV were used as controls. Diagnosis of CLD was based upon histological findings of chronic parenchymal liver disease in the presence of stigmata of CLD. Plasma fibrinogen level was determined by the clot-weight technique. Plasma viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, haematocrit and platelet count were analysed. Clinico-demographic features, treatment modalities and the complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 120 subjects comprising 70 CLD patients (50 males (71.4%) and 20 females (28.6%)) and 50 controls were studied. Alcoholic cirrhosis (44.3%) was the main risk factor closely followed by viral hepatitis (41.4%). Haematocrit and platelet count of CLD patients were significantly lower than the controls (p<0.001). Plasma fibrinogen concentration and plasma viscosity in CLD patients were significantly lower compared to the controls (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

CLD patients had low blood viscosity and low fibrinogen level (hypofibrinogenamia) when compared to controls. This may have contributed to the hypocoagulable state and therefore the bleeding tendency encountered in these patients.