Hyperfibrinolysis and the risk of hemorrhage in stable cirrhotic patients

New under the sun: ClotPro's ECA-test detects hyperfibrinolysis in a higher number of patients, more frequently and 9 min earlier

Liver diseases result in a re-balanced state of the haemostatic system with decreased haemostatic reserves. Increased fibrinolytic activity is commonly seen during liver transplants. The aim of this study was to assess whether ClotPro's ECA-test is able to detect hyperfibrinolysis earlier and with higher frequency than ClotPro's conventional viscoelastic assays for the intrinsic and the extrinsic coagulation pathway. From 25 liver transplant recipients, systemic blood samples were collected during surgery. Viscoelastic haemostatic assays with ClotPro's IN-test, EX-test and ECA-test were performed simultaneously from each blood sample. Hyperfibrinolysis was defined on the basis of the manufacturer's prespecified threshold value (maximal lysis >15%). The incidence of hyperfibrinolysis detected with each test was compared with the McNemar test. For each assay, lysis detection time (LDT) was calculated and analysed with the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 125 tests were performed simultaneously. Compared with the IN-test and the EX-test, the ECA-test detected hyperfibrinolysis in significantly ( P  < 0.001) higher number of patients (9; 11; 14, respectively) and in more measurement points (14; 18; 28, respectively). The analysis of LDT values revealed significant superiority of the ECA-test to the IN-test ( P  = 0.046) and to the EX-test ( P  = 0.035), indicating the profibrinolytic state of the haemostasis 8.9 ± 0.65 and 8.7 ± 0.17 min earlier, respectively. These are preliminary results of the study NCT0424637. ClotPro's ECA-test appeared to detect fibrinolysis in a higher number of patients, more frequently, and the mean time of detection was 9 min earlier than that of the IN-test and the EX-test.

Lysis Timer: a new sensitive tool to diagnose hyperfibrinolysis in liver transplantation

Aims

Diagnosis of hyperfibrinolysis in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) remains challenging. Euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) is not adapted to clinical situations. ROTEM is specific but seldom sensitive to hyperfibrinolysis. The Lysis Timer assesses ‘Global Fibrinolytic Capacity’ in citrated plasma (GFC/LT). GFC/LT associates reagents for in vitro triggering of the clot (thrombin and calcium) and its lysis (tissue-plasminogenactivator (t-PA)), turbidity signal acquisition by the Lysis Timer, and dedicated software converting the digital signal into an optical curve. A visual check of the curves was systematic to ascertain the lysis time values calculated by the software. The primary aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the ability of GFC/LT to recognise hyperfibrinolysis during OLT. The secondary aim was to compare its results with ROTEM maximum lysis (EXTEM ML) and with standard laboratory tests.

Methods

Thirty consecutive adult patients undergoing OLT were included (NCT03012633). Standard laboratory tests, ROTEM, GFC/LT, ECLT and fibrinolysis parameters were assayed at five sample times.

Results

GFC/LT was correlated with ECLT, plasmin activator inhibitor 1 antigen and activity and t-PA activity (r=0.490, 0.681, 0.643 and –0.359, respectively). Hyperfibrinolysis was defined as ECLT ≤60 min. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that GFC/LT with a threshold of 31 min detected hyperfibrinolysis with a sensitivity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.96), a specificity of 0.68 (95% CI 0.56 to 0.78) and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.94). EXTEM ML >12% did not detect hyperfibrinolysis (sensitivity 0.38 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.55), specificity 0.95 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.99) and AUC 0.60 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.75)).

Conclusions

GFC/LT recognised hyperfibrinolysis during OLT with a significant agreement with the other tests of fibrinolysis.

Trial registration number

NCT03012633.

Sudden onset abdominal wall swellings in patient of liver cirrhosis

Spontaneous hematomas in cirrhotic patients are uncommon. Severe coagulopathy in advanced hepatic disease is characterized by both coagulation factor deficiencies and accelerated fibrinolysis. Hyperfibrinolysis in cirrhosis is a result of excess fibrin breakdown leading to defective hemostasis. We present a case of spontaneous hematomas with an acute drop in hemoglobin level, in a patient with cirrhosis which was due to primary hyperfibrinolysis.