Microvesicle Tissue Factor Procoagulant Activity Is Elevated and Correlated With Disease Severity in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Background and aims: Tissue factor-expressing microvesicles (MV-TF) have been found to correlate with thrombotic complications in various diseases. Simultaneously, there is expanding research regarding the effect of the coagulation cascade on liver fibrosis progression. The aim of our manuscript was to evaluate MV-TF activity in patients with cirrhosis and its correlation with disease severity.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 82 patients [11 with cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer (Group 1), 50 with cirrhosis (Group 2) and 21 controls (Group 3)]. Extensive workup for disease staging and exclusion criteria was undertaken. Exclusion criteria included thrombophilia, history of thrombosis, recent hospitalisation, ongoing infection, alcohol dependence, cancer, haematological diseases and use of anticoagulant, antiplatelet or contraceptive drugs. Plasma tissue factor antigen concentration and MV-TF activity were assessed.

Results: MV-TF showed median values of 4.03 [1.57], 3.17 [1.59] and 2.26 [1.23] pg/mL in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between Groups 1 and 3 (p < 0.001) and Groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.003), while Group 1 had higher values than Group 2 without statistical significance (p = 0.088). In Group 2, the patients' Child-Pugh (CP) stage was A in 56%, B in 26% and C in 18% of cases. MV-TF activity significantly correlated with decompensated cirrhosis (p = 0.005) and higher CP stage (p = 0.011). Finally, MV-TF activity significantly correlated with 12-month mortality (p = 0.021).

Conclusions: MV-TF activity is elevated in patients with cirrhosis, showing a significant correlation with disease severity. MV-TF may play a role in the procoagulant imbalance of liver cirrhosis and their contribution in disease progression should be studied further.