Assessment of blood coagulation in severe liver disease using thromboelastography: use of citrate storage versus native blood

Thromboelastography evaluates the viscoelastic properties of blood coagulation. Using native blood, measurement must start soon after sampling. With normal coagulation, native and citrated blood values correlate well. No data exists from cirrhotic patients. We compared native and citrate thromboelastography parameters in 30 cirrhotic patients (20 Child-Pugh C class, two liver failure). Thromboelastography was performed within 4 min using native blood and after recalcification within 1-2 h of citrate storage. Thromboelastography variables (r, alpha, k, ma) were compared using the Mann-Whitney test, correlation investigated with the Pearson method and the degree of agreement with the Bland-Altman method. There was no significant difference between citrated and native blood for all variables. Median values for native and citrated were, respectively, r 16.4 (range 2.3-22.5) and 15.1 (range 9.8-29.9); k 6.3 (range 3.5-11.3) and 6.2 (range 2.8-10.9); ma 48.3 (range 30.7-62.9) and 46.2 (range 30.4-60.4); angle a 30.8 (range 18.7-46.8) and 33.2 (range 19.9-55.8). Correlation for each variable was significant (P < 0.01). There was a good degree of agreement for all but two patients (both bleeding) for all variables. Citrated blood can substitute native blood using thromboelastography in cirrhotic patients, allowing more time between sampling and the thromboelastography measurement (C) 2003 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.