Lack of relationship between plasma thrombomodulin and portal hypertensionin alcoholic liver disease

The present study was performed to analyze the relationship between portal hypertension and alterations of the endothelium-derived proteins thrombomod ulin, plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI -1), which were determined in plasma samples of 28 alcoholic cirrhotic pati ents and 46 controls. Although cirrhotics showed lower levels of PAI-1, but higher thrombomodulin and t-PA levels than controls, no relationship was o bserved between thrombomodulin, I-PA or PAI-1 and portal pressure. Therefor e, the hypothesis that splachnic endothelial damage secondary to portal hyp ertension leads to altered thrombomodulin, t-PA and PAI-1 levels in alcohol ic cirrhosis is not supported by the results of this study. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Inc. All rights reserved.