title: The platelet and platelet function testing in liver disease.
abstract: Patients who have liver disease commonly present with alterations in platelet number and function. Recent data have questioned the contribution of these changes to bleeding complications in these patients. Modern tests of platelet function revealed compensatory mechanisms for the decreased platelet number and function, the most prominent compensatory mechanism being substantially elevated levels of the adhesive protein von Willebrand's factor. Consequently, standard diagnostic tests of platelet functions seem to be of little use to predict bleeding complication in patients who have liver disease. This article outlines the role of platelet abnormalities and possibilities for platelet function testing in patients who have liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, CMC V, Y2144, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Greg G C
authors.initials: GGC
authors.lastname: Hugenholtz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, BA33, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Porte
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, CMC V, Y2144, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.a.lisman@chir.umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Ton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lisman
mesh_terms: D001791:Blood Platelet Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D010976:Platelet Count; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005169:Factor VIII; D013917:Thrombin