Coagulation Factor V-Major Survival Predictor in Patients of Viral Hepatitis Induced Acute Liver Failure.

In acute liver failure, variables favoring survival of patients is based on age, interval between onset of jaundice and encephalopathy, coagulation factor level but all these variables were concluded from the studies that were conducted in Western population where etiology most commonly is paracetamol poisoning and metabolic disorders like Wilson’s disease; where as in Indian subcontinent set up major causative factor is viral hepatitis. Thus we exploited the database collected by observational study to investigate major predictors of survival in viral hepatitis induced acute liver failure. Among 40 patients followed for 1 month(7days) or less if died, there were 12 patients who survived. Tha analysis showed that patients who survived had factor V level on day 3 of diagnosis was in the range of 10%–25% and who died had factor V level below 10% (p<0.004). Thus factor V level on day 3 of diagnosis may help in predicting survival in patients of acute liver failure, thus help in triage for the need of orthotopic liver transplantation which is the only definite curative therapy in patients who have poor survival rates.