Coagulation Profile of Patients with Liver Cirrhosis at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, North West Nigeria

Liver cirrhosis profoundly disrupts haemostatic balance due to impaired synthesis of clotting factors, increased fibrinolysis, and thrombocytopaenia, predisposing patients to both bleeding and thrombotic complications. This study assessed the coagulation profile of patients with liver cirrhosis at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State, North West Nigeria. A case-control study was conducted among 80 confirmed cirrhotic patients and 40 healthy controls. Venous blood was collected into trisodium citrate tubes for determination of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen levels, and platelet counts. Liver function tests and disease severity scoring using the Child-Pugh classification were also performed. Results demonstrated significantly prolonged prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and thrombin time in cirrhotic patients compared to controls. Hypofibrinogenaemia was present in 37.5% of patients. Thrombocytopaenia occurred in 52.5% of cases. Patients classified as Child-Pugh C showed the most severe coagulation abnormalities. A positive correlation was established between disease severity and degree of coagulopathy. These findings highlight the importance of routine coagulation profiling in cirrhotic patients to guide clinical decision-making, particularly before invasive procedures. The study recommends establishment of standardised haemostasis monitoring protocols in liver disease management units across teaching hospitals in North West Nigeria. Keywords: coagulation profile, liver cirrhosis, prothrombin time, thrombocytopaenia, Child-Pugh