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Thromb Haemost 2003; 89(03): 538-543
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1613385
Vascular Development and Vessel Remodeling
Schattauer GmbH

Rise of circulating thrombopoietin following cardiothoracic surgery is potentiated in patients with coronary atherosclerosis: correlation with a preceding increase in levels of interleukin-6

James M. Cotton
1   Department of Cardiology, King’s College, GKT School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK and the Centres for
,
Ying Hong
2   Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
,
Emma Hawe
3   Cardiovascular Genetics, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
,
Anthony Mathur
2   Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
,
Steve E. Humphries
3   Cardiovascular Genetics, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
,
Angie S. Brown
1   Department of Cardiology, King’s College, GKT School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK and the Centres for
,
John F. Martin
2   Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
,
Jorge D. Erusalimsky
2   Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, British Heart Foundation Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 08 April 2002

Accepted after resubmission 14 December 2002

Publication Date:
09 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the major regulator of platelet production. Plasma levels of TPO are thought to be regulated by its binding to platelets and megakaryocytes. Here we have used a model of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) to test the possibility that changes in TPO levels are influenced by the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and by changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6). After surgery patients with CAD (n = 22) or with normal coronary arteries (n = 11) showed a significant thrombocytopaenia followed by a reactive thrombocytosis. The platelet recovery was preceded by a significant rise in TPO (from 62.6 ± 9.4 pg/ml at baseline to 129.2 ± 19 pg/ml at 60 h, P <0.001), which in turn was preceded by, and was positively correlated with, a marked increase in circulating IL-6 (from 1.5 ± 0.3 pg/ml at baseline to 269.3 ± 30.6 pg/ml at 3-12 h, P <0.001). The rise of both IL-6 and TPO was significantly larger in patients with CAD. No correlation was found between the post-operative drop in platelet mass and changes in either the TPO or IL-6 levels. These findings suggest that in man circulating TPO levels, besides being controlled by changes in platelet mass, are influenced by inflammatory processes, including the presence of coronary atherosclerosis.

Keywords

Atherosclerosis - thrombopoietin - interleukin-6 - platelets - cardiovascular surgery
 

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