In liver cirrhosis, which laboratory result is commonly observed?

In liver cirrhosis, a commonly observed laboratory result is low albumin and prolonged PT/INR. Cirrhosis affects the liver's ability to synthesize proteins and produce clotting factors due to extensive liver damage and fibrosis. As the liver becomes increasingly dysfunctional, the production of albumin, a key protein that helps maintain osmotic pressure in the blood, decreases. This results in lower levels of serum albumin.

Additionally, the liver plays a crucial role in synthesizing clotting factors, which are essential for normal blood coagulation. In cirrhosis, the liver’s reduced ability to produce these factors leads to a prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and an increased international normalized ratio (INR). These laboratory changes are significant indicators of liver function and severity of cirrhosis.

The other options do not accurately reflect common laboratory findings associated with cirrhosis. Normal PT/INR would suggest that the liver is functioning adequately, which is not the case in cirrhosis. High serum magnesium levels are not a typical result of cirrhosis either, and low bilirubin levels would be unusual, as bilirubin levels often rise due to impaired liver function and conjugation processes in cirr