STUDIES ON BLOOD COAGULABILITY IN EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE HEPATIC FAILURE

Abstract

The occurence of the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in patients with fulminant hepatitis has been recently reported. In this study, abnormalities of coagulation and fibrinolysis in 30 rabbits with experimental CCL₄-induced acute hepatic failure were investigated.
The prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time showed to be remarkably prolonged 24hrs after oral administration of CCL₄. Levels of fibrinogen and platelet count were decreased, and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products was increased at the same time. In addition, one rabbit revealed disseminated fibrin thrombi in autopsy.
In 9 rabbits in which heparin was given by continuous infusion pump for 48hrs just after the administration of CCL₄, the fibrinogen level was improved remarkably and prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time and factor VIII level were also slightly improved.
These findings suggested that, in addition to diminished svnthesis, of coagulation factors, DIC was involved in CCL₄-induced acute hepatic failure and contributed to the haemostatic disorder.The treatment with heparin seemed to be effective in this series.