Coagulation equilibrium in bilharzial hepatic fibrosis.

Twenty patients with confirmed bilharzial hepatic fibrosis and similar number of matched normal controls were investigated for their plasma protein C activity, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time. The results showed marked decrease in plasma protein C activity together with the expected prolongation in prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times. Since protein C exhibits a controlling mechanism on haemostasis by inhibition of activated factor V, changes in plasma protein C activity will necessarily impart an effect on blood coagulation.