title: [The relationship among the counts of platelet, thrombopoietin and spleen index in patients with liver cirrhosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the reason of thrombocytopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis, we studied the relationship among platelet counts, serum thrombopoietin (TPO) level and spleen index.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum TPO, platelet counts and spleen index were measured in 71 cirrhotic patients. TPO was measured with ELISA method, spleen index were measured on ultrasonography by the same doctor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet counts in patients with cirrhosis were lower than that of healthy group [(109.20+/-53.39) vs (169.63+/-26.60) x 10(12)/L, P<0.05]. Serum thrombopoietin level in patients with cirrhosis was similar to that of healthy group [(436.42+/-258.97) vs (412.63+/-132.80) pg/ml, P>0.05]. However, serum thrombopoietin level decreased as liver disease aggravated, [(526.13+/-317.44) pg/ml in Child-Pugh grade A, (445.22+/-214.90) pg/ml in grade B and (311.45+/-182.66) pg/ml in grade C, grade A vs. Grade C, P<0.05]. However, decline in platelet counts was accompanied with incline in spleen index coordinately. 35 of 71 cirrhotic patients had normal platelet counts whereas 36 of them had thrombocytopenia. Thrombopoietin levels were higher in non-thrombocytopenia group than in thrombocytopenia group [(529.43+/-282.64) vs. (351.27+/-228.25)pg/ml, P<0.01]; but spleen index of two groups showed no difference [(29.65+/-12.00) vs. (36.35+/-12.68) cm2, P>0.05]. Correlation was found between thrombopoietin level and platelet counts (r=0.252, P=0.025); no correlation was found between spleen index and platelet counts (r=-0.238, P=0.062).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decline serum TPO levels might play an important role for thrombocytopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliate of Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gui-zhen
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bao-en
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yu-xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yu-long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013926:Thrombopoietin