The management of abnormalities of hemostasis in acute liver failure

Abstract

The liver is the primary site of synthesis of most coagulation and fibrinolytic proteins, and also plays a role in the clearance of hemostasis factors and their degradation products. In acute liver failure, these functions are severely disturbed, and the risk of hemorrhage is increased. Following a brief summary of the physiology of hemostasis, this review describes the nature and frequency of hemostatic abnormalities in acute liver failure. These abnormalities include quantitative and qualitative platelet defects, impaired synthesis and clearance of the coagulation factors and related inhibitory proteins, and enhanced fibrinolysis. Disseminated intravascular coagulation may also play a role, although this syndrome is difficult to distinguish from changes due to the failure of hepatic synthesis and clearance alone. At present, management options are limited to support with blood products, although pharmacological manipulation of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems represent a potential area for future study.