Thromb Haemost 1998; 79(06): 1106-1110
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1615024
Rapid Communication
Schattauer GmbH

Evaluation of Thrombopoiesis in Thrombocytopenic Disorders by Simultaneous Measurement of Reticulated Platelets of Whole Blood and Serum Thrombopoietin Concentrations

Authors

  • Yukako Koike

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Akiko Yoneyama

    2   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
  • Jun Shirai

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Tateru Ishida

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Eriko Shoda

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Kouji Miyazaki

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Sinji Sunaga

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Ryoichi Horie

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Katunori Aoki

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Kazuhiko Koike

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Iturou Ogata

    1   From the First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Tomoyuki Tahara

    4   Pharmaceutical Reseach Laboratory, Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd., Maebashi, Japan
  • Takashi Kato

    4   Pharmaceutical Reseach Laboratory, Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd., Maebashi, Japan
  • Kazuhiko Nakahara

    2   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
  • Toshitugu Kariya

    3   Division of Haematology, Tokyo Kosei Nenkin Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
  • Masaaki Higashihara

    5   Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Received 27 May 1997

Accepted after resubmission 06 February 1998

Publication Date:
07 December 2017 (online)

Summary

To evaluate thrombopoiesis in thrombocytopenic disorders, we simultaneously determined reticulated platelet counts in whole blood by FACScan flow cytometry and serum thrombopoietin (TPO) concentrations by a sensitive sandwich ELISA. The subjects were 40 healthy volunteers and 45 thrombocytopenic patients. In idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), the percentage of reticulated platelets was significantly elevated (5.61 ± 2.02%: mean ± SD) relative to normal controls (2.17 ± 0.90%), but serum TPO concentrations (1.91 ± 1.27 fmol/l) did not differ significantly from the normal range (1.43 ± 0.62 fmol/l). The patients with aplastic anemia (AA) had decreased reticulated platelet counts and markedly increased serum TPO concentrations (13.65 ± 10.64 fmol/l). In thrombocytopenic patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), the absolute number of reticulated platelets (1.65 ± 1.11 × 109/l) decreased similarly that in AA. However, serum TPO concentrations (1.38 ± 0.50 fmol/l) did not increase in contrast to AA. Our findings suggested a possible dual mechanism of thrombocytopenia in LC; that is, thrombocytopenia in LC results from the decreased TPO production primarily in the liver adding to an increase in platelet sequestration in the spleen.