FREQUENCY OF PROLONGED ACTIVATED PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTINE TIME (APTT) IN LIVER CIRRHOSIS.

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis is very common disease in medical practice. Chronic Liver diseaseis marked by the gradual destruction of liver tissues over time. Severe liver disease falls under thiscategory including cirrhosis of liver and fibrosis. Chronic damage to the liver slowly replaces normalfunctioning liver tissue, progressively diminish blood flow though the liver. As the normal liver tissue islost, nutrients, horrmones, drugs and poisons are not processed effectively by the liver. In additionprotein production including coagulation factors and other substances produced by the liver areinhibited. This study was designed to find the relative frequency of having prolonged APTT in chronicliver disease.STUDY DESIGN AND PLACE: This cross-sectional study of chronic liver disease was conducted inthe departments of Medicine and Pathology of Saidu Teaching Hospital / Saidu Medical College, Swat,Pakistan from Feb 15th 2012 to Dec 15th 2012.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy eight (78) patients of chronic liver disease (38 Males & 40Females) were studied. Those on anticoagulants therapy were excluded from the study.Ethyelenediamine tetra acetic acid and citrated blood samples were taken for tests to be performed.Blood counts were performed on coulter counter haematology analyzer. APTT, Prothrombine time (PT),Bleeding time (BT) and thrombin time (TT) were performed manually.RESULTS: Out of 78 patients of chronic liver disease, prolonged APTT was found in 64(82.05%)patients (28 males and 36 females). 14(17.95%) patients (10 males and 4 females) were found to havenormal APTT.CONCLUSION: Prolong APTT is significant finding in cirrhosis liver. It should be included in theinvestigations for bleeding tendencies of cirrhotic patients.KEY WORDS: Activated partial thromboplastin time, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis liver.