DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i06.023

Pages: 2147-2150

Background: Liver diseases have varieties of clinical complications and manifestations of which some could be life threatening. Multiple interaction often opposing variables converge to produce net hemostasis in the patient with liver disease and derangements in haemostatic parameter which are associated with increased risk of complications such as bleeding and thrombosis. These abnormalities add morbidity to the primary pathology hence, increases the mortality. It is therefore imperative to study the hemostatic derangements to decrease it associated complication. Aim & Objective: To assess the haemostatic profile of patients with chronic liver disease visiting the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital assessing the haematological and hemostatic abnormalities in order to reduce the morbidity. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study involving consecutive chronic liver disease patients referred to the Gastroenterology unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Over a 9 months period, a total of one hundred and six patients seen were recruited into the study. The CLD patients who met the eligibility criteria for chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and primary liver cell carcinoma (PLCC) were recruited for the study. Result: One hundred and six patients were selected for this study. 73 (69%) male and 33 (31%) female giving a male: female ratio of 2.2:1. The mean age of the subjects is 40.22 ± 14.31 years. 7 (6.60%) had elevated platelet count, 52 (49.06%) had normal platelet count while low platelet count was observed in 47 (44.34%). Normal INR was observed in 33 (31.10%) while elevated international normalized ratio (INR) was observed in 20 (18.87%) of the patients. Conclusion: Chronic liver disease is commoner in males with marked variation in platelet count and INR with predominantly thrombocytopaenia and elevated INR. This derangement is said to contribute to the risk of bleeding in chronic liver disease patient.