Oxidative Stress and Haemostasis Abnormalities in Cirrhosis

Patients with cirrhosis can have abnormalities in laboratory tests reflecting changes in primary and secondary haemostasis. Such changes have been considered particularly relevant in the bleeding complications that occur in cirrhosis. However, several studies have shown that routine diagnostic tests are not clinically useful to stratify bleeding risk in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, treatments used to increase platelet count or to modulate platelet function could potentially do harm. Consequently the optimal management of bleeding complications is still a matter of discussion. Moreover, in the last two decades there has been an increased recognition that not only bleeding but also thrombosis complicates the clinical course of cirrhosis. Over the last years, emerge that in vivo platelet function and coagulation cascade might be modulated by an alteration of pro-oxidant and antioxidant balance. Thus It has previously been demonstrated that chronic liver diseases are characterized by increased oxidative stress state. Aim of the study is to analyse the relationship between oxidative stress, haemostatic balance and clinical complications in cirrhosis.