Improvement of some blood coagulation factors in cirrhotic patients treated with low doses of heparin.

Effects of subcutaneous calcium-heparin and vitamin K administration were studied in 30 cirrhotic patients showing low values of prothrombin time, antithrombin III, fibrinogen, platelet count, plasminogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, raised levels of fibrin(ogen) degradation products and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time. A group of 10 patients was first treated with K vitamin for 15 d; after vitamin K therapy interruption, a treatment with 5000 IU (8000 IU in 1 patient) every 12 h of subcutaneous calcium-heparin was started. In another group of 20 patients a treatment with 5000 IU (8000 IU in 2 patients) every 12 h of subcutaneous calcium-heparin was started immediately. The heparin administration in both groups had been performed for at least 2 weeks. No significant changes of blood coagulation picture were observed after vitamin K administration, while calcium-heparin treatment showed an increase in prothrombin time, fibrinogen, platelet count, plasminogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, a decrease in fibrin(ogen) degradation products and a shortened activated partial thromboplastin time. There was no significant change in antithrombin III values.