Plasma Prothrombin in Liver Disease: Its Clinical and Prognostic Significance

Article1 June 1959PLASMA PROTHROMBIN IN LIVER DISEASE: ITS CLINICAL AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCEGORDON MINDRUM, M.D., HELEN I. GLUECK, M.D., F.A.C.P.GORDON MINDRUM, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, HELEN I. GLUECK, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-50-6-1370 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptIt is a well known clinical observation that a low concentration of plasma prothrombin which does not respond to the administration of vitamin K indicates serious liver disease.1-10 The usefulness of this observation is limited, however, by the fact that many patients with severe hepatic disease may have normal concentrations of prothrombin when the one-stage assay methods are utilized.2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13 The two-stage procedures often detect hypoprothrombinemia in this disorder when the one-stage determination is normal or only slightly depressed.5, 13, 14, 15, 16We have made similar observations in a large group of patients with various...Bibliography1. 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ArscottKoppelOlwin PMJLJH: Experience with the TAMe assay during anticoagulant therapy, J. Lab. and Clin. Med. 51: 805, 1958. MedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Cincinnati, Ohio*Received for publication July 3, 1958.From the Department of Medicine and the Gastric Laboratory, The University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, and The Cincinnati General Hospital.Supported by grant H 1904 C1, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, U. S. Public Health Service.†In previous studies employing the TAMe method, accelerator globulin was not routinely added to the activation mixture, since a severe deficiency of this factor must be present to alter the assay.17 Since such deficiencies often accompany liver disease, in the present studies .01 ml. of beef serum AC-g (Difco) was routinely added to the activation mixtures, thus obtaining optimal prothrombin yields.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Helen I. Glueck, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Cincinnati General Hospital, Cincinnati 29, Ohio. 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