title: Prolonged prothrombin time, Factor VII and activated FVII levels in chronic liver disease are partly dependent on Factor VII gene polymorphisms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prothrombin time is a benchmark for functional assessment in cirrhosis and Factor VII levels (FVII), crucial in determining the prothrombin time, are genetically determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have evaluated the prothrombin time, a number of haemostatic variables synthesised by the liver (FII, FV, FVII and activated FVII, AT and fibrinogen) and two polymorphisms of the FVII gene (5'F7 and 353R/Q) in: (a) patients with liver cirrhosis (n=118), (b) patients with chronic hepatitis (n=102) and (c) controls (n=100).
  
  
  RESULTS
  By one-way analyses of variance, the prothrombin time and the mean levels of the FII, FV, FVIIc, FVIIa, and AT were statistically different between cirrhotics, chronic hepatitis patients and controls. The allele frequency of the FVII polymorphisms did not differ between the three groups. Those rare patients (4.6%) who were homozygous for the type 2 alleles had markedly reduced FVIIc and FVIIa levels. The analysis carried out taking into account Child class versus FVII genotype showed that the mean FVIIc levels were comparable for different genotypes within each Child's class, with the exception of the patients homozygous for the type 1 allele.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings help to explain the not infrequent finding of a severely prolonged prothrombin time in patients who are otherwise in a good functional class.
authors.affiliation: Hematology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grimaudo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craxi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Di Paolantonio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaccaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venezia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo Coco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Savella
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usticano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariani
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005167:Factor VII / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011517:Prothrombin Time
chemical_list: D005167:Factor VII