Fibrinogen survival in cirrhosis: improvement by "low dose" heparin.

The effect of "low dose" heparin therapy on fibrinogen survival in patients with cirrhosis was studied in six patients. Survival of I-125 radiolabeled fibrinogen was measured using both autologous and homologous material. Average fibrinogen half-life before heparin therapy was 52 hours and after 3000 units of intravenous heparin every 6 hours was 101.8 hours. Median survival before heparin therapy was 56 hours and after therapy was 91 hours. In every instance fibrinogen survival was improved by heparin administration. These data indicate that "low dose" heparin improves fibrinogen survival in cirrhosis and suggest that disseminated intravascular coagulation is a primary process in the defibrination syndrome associated with cirrhosis.