Coagulation profile and Hematological parameters in patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease and its association with the disease severity (A study of 230 cases)

Abstract

Introduction: Alcoholic liver disease is a term that encompasses the liver manifestation of long-term alcohol consumption, including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. Abnormalities in hematological parameters are common in patients with alcoholic liver disease. The pathogenesis of abnormal hematological parameters in cirrhosis is multifactorial and includes portal hypertension-induced sequestration, alterations in bone marrow stimulating factors, viral- and toxin-induced bone marrow suppression. Excess alcohol intake itself causes direct bone marrow suppression leading to toxic effects on the cell lineages and cause hematological disturbances causing anemia, leucocytosis, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Abnormalities in hematological parameters are associated with an increased risk of complications, including bleeding and infection. All three parameters determine a greater extent of morbidity and mortality in these patients.Materials and Methods: In the present study, patients were grouped into Group 1 to 5 based on the Model for End-stage Liver Disease scoring, and individual hematological parameters were studied. The onset of anemia, leucocytosis or leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia in the MELD group was studied so that corrective measures can be taken at the earliest.Results: Maximum number of patients fell into Group 2 of MELD score and hemoglobin, total count and platelets were studied in each group. Patients followed a pattern of reduced hemoglobin as the MELD score as well as group increased with significant p value and increase total count with increase in MELD group with significant p value.Concluison: The results obtained from the study have clear implications regarding the prediction of what the hematological spectrum does an individual patient has when he falls into a particular group of MELD score. This speculation could persuade the treating physicians to correct these hematological indices so that further disease progression could be delayed or nullified.