title: Assessment of rotation thromboelastometry parameters in patients with essential thrombocythemia at diagnosis and after hydroxyurea therapy.
abstract: Patients with essential thrombocythemia suffer from thrombotic complications that are the main source of mortality. Due to its complex pathogenesis, no existing single laboratory method is able to identify the patients at highest risk for developing thrombosis. Twenty patients with essential thrombocythemia at diagnosis, 15 healthy volunteers and 20 patients treated with hydroxyurea were compared with regard to certain rotation thromboelastometry parameters. Clotting time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), α-angle, and maximum clot firmness (MCF) were assessed by using the INTEM, EXTEM, FIBTEM, and NATEM tests. Patients with essential thrombocythemia at diagnosis demonstrated significantly higher mean platelet count and markedly lower mean red blood count than controls. CT and CFT readings were found to be markedly lower in essential thrombocythemia patients at diagnosis than in the control group according to the EXTEM test. Patients at diagnosis had markedly lower CT values (EXTEM, FIBTEM) than patients on hydroxyurea therapy. Alpha angle values were markedly higher in essential thrombocythemia patients at diagnosis than in controls, according to the EXTEM, FIBTEM and NATEM tests. MCF readings were significantly higher in essential thrombocythemia patients at diagnosis than in controls according to EXTEM, INTEM, FIBTEM, and NATEM tests. Patients on hydroxyurea therapy had markedly lower MCF values according to EXTEM test than patients at diagnosis. Patients with essential thrombocythemia demonstrate a prothrombotic state at the time of diagnosis, which is reflected in changes by certain rotation thromboelastometry parameters. The hydroxyurea therapy induces downregulation of the prothrombotic features seen in essential thrombocythemia patients at diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Medical University of Łódź, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Treliński
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okońska
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robak
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chojnowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003018:Clot Retraction; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D010976:Platelet Count; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012399:Rotation; D013916:Thrombelastography; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014914:Whole Blood Coagulation Time
chemical_list: D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D006918:Hydroxyurea