GORDON MINDRUM, M.D.; HELEN I. GLUECK, M.D., F.A.C.P.
It is a well known clinical observation that a low concentration of plasma prothrombin which does not respond to the administration of vitamin K indicates serious liver disease.1-10 The usefulness of this observation is limited, however, by the fact that many patients with severe hepatic disease may have normal concentrations of prothrombin when the one-stage assay methods are utilized.2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13 The two-stage procedures often detect hypoprothrombinemia in this disorder when the one-stage determination is normal or only slightly depressed.5, 13, 14, 15, 16
We have made similar observations in a large group of patients with various
MINDRUM G, GLUECK HI. PLASMA PROTHROMBIN IN LIVER DISEASE: ITS CLINICAL AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE*. Ann Intern Med. 1959;50:1370–1384. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-50-6-1370
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Published: Ann Intern Med. 1959;50(6):1370-1384.
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-50-6-1370
Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Liver Disease.
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