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Semin Thromb Hemost 2011; 37(1): 066-076
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1270073
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Venous Thromboembolism in Chronic Liver Disease

Giuseppe Lippi1 , Giovanni Targher2 , Emmanuel J. Favaloro3 , Massimo Franchini4
  • 1U.O. di Diagnostica Ematochimica, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Italy
  • 2Sezione di Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy
  • 3Department of Haematology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia
  • 4U.O. di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
09 February 2011 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The liver plays a central role in the maintenance of a normal hemostatic balance by synthesizing several factors belonging to the pathways of coagulation, anticoagulation, and fibrinolysis. It is thereby unsurprising that patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) or cirrhosis may experience a kaleidoscope of hemostatic disorders. A bleeding tendency represents the most frequent and clinically severe hemostatic complication of CLD or cirrhosis. Perhaps less anticipated, growing evidence now suggests that a procoagulant state may be also associated with CLD, so that patients with CLD or cirrhosis, irrespective of its etiology, rather than be “naturally anticoagulated” might also experience a large spectrum of spontaneous or unprovoked venous thrombotic complications. The clinical significance of an increased risk of venous thromboembolism in CLD is an important topic for future research, and the initiation of new randomized studies of potential treatments for this complication is needed.

KEYWORDS

Thrombosis - liver - chronic liver disease - coagulation - cirrhosis

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Professor Giuseppe LippiM.D. U.O. 

Diagnostica Ematochimica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma

Via Gramsci 14, 43126 - Parma, Italy

Email: glippi@ao.pr.it; ulippi@tin.it