Significant Association between Serum Levels of Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) Antigen with Stages of Cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a mediator that increases endotoxemic medium like in cirrhosis. In this study we evaluated the association of serum VWF antigen (Ag) level with the stage of cirrhosis (according to Child-Pugh classification).


METHODS
We included 82 cirrhotic patients (Female/Male (F/M): 26/56) and 86 healthy subjects (F/M: 44/42) in the study. Ages of the both groups of patients were not different (P= 0.095). We excluded possible other reasons that may cause VWF level increase. Diagnosis of cirrhosis was made on the basis of biopsy in 7 patients and with clinical and laboratory parameters in 75 patients. VWF Ag level was determined by immunoturbidimetric test. The stage of cirrhosis was defined with Child-Pugh classification. Data were analysed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 10.0 software program.


RESULTS
VWF Ag level was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients compared to control group (220±90 and 87±38, P<0.001, respectively). We observed significant increase of VWF Ag level with the increasing stages of cirrhosis according to Child-Pugh score (VWF Ag level for Child A-B-C 156.4±54/215±45/284.8±93, respectively; P values for Child A-B/A-C/B-C; <0.001/<0.001/0.006, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum VWF Ag level increases in cirrhotic patients and this is more pronounced with higher stages of cirrhosis.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey.
Vural Taner
VT
Yilmaz
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey.
Dinc
D
Dincer
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey.
Ali Berkant
AB
Avci
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey.
Ramazan
R
Cetinkaya
Child Pugh classification; Cirrhosis; von Willebrand factor