Fibrinogen metabolism in acute hepatitis and active chronic hepatitis.

Coagulation studies, including those of radioactive fibrinogen metabolism, were performed in seven patients with acute viral hepatitis and 12 patients with active chronic hepatitis. An increased fractional catabolic rate for fibrinogen was observed in four patients from the first group, and seven from the second. The catabolic rate was increased in those patients with the greatest degree of hepatic necrosis as demonstrated by the raised serum aminotransferase levels. There was no correlation between the rate of fibrinogen catabolism and the standard clotting tests, but the SDPS test (indicating the presence of fibrin monomers in the circulation) was consistently positive in those cases where the catabolic rate was increased.