title: Does thrombopoiesis in multiple myeloma patients depend on the stage of the disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infiltration of the bone marrow by neoplastic plasmocytes in multiple myeloma (MM) patients might impair megakaryocytopoiesis. The aim of the study was to evaluate stage-dependent platelet count (PLT) and thrombopoietin (TPO) concentration in comparison to the control group. We also wanted to establish whether TPO might be recognized as a marker of the stage of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 41 patients (mean age 67.7) with newly diagnosed MM prior to treatment and categorized according to the Durie and Salmon diagnostic classification. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects (mean age 65.5). PLT, WBC, RBC and Hb were measured with the use of the haematological analyser. TPO was assayed with the use of ELISA and albumin with the use of the immunonephelometry method. The number of plasma cells in the bone marrow was evaluated in bone marrow smears under light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PLT was not statistically different as compared the control groups, but was stage-dependent. Thrombocytopenia was observed in the III stage of MM. TPO median was significantly higher in study group than in healthy subjects and it was increasing considerably with the stage of the disease. TPO concentration was negatively correlated with albumin and PLT. AUC for TPO was 0.9764. The number of plasma cells in the bone marrow was considerably increasing with the stage of the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PLT and TPO in MM patients were stage-dependent. Elevated TPO concentration in MM patients might be an unfavourable marker of the stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: joanna.kaminska@umb.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Olga M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Koper
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mantur
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matowicka-Karna
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Nursing, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sawicka-Powierza
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sokołowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kostur
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulczyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kłoczko
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kemona
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology*; D034061:Thrombopoiesis; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013926:Thrombopoietin
keywords: Multiple myeloma; Platelet count; Thrombocytopoiesis; Thrombopoietin