Reticulated platelets and thrombopoietin in schistosomiasis patients

Schistosomiasis mansoni is a non-cirrhotic liver disease. In cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension, a decreased number of reticulated platelets associated with increased thrombopoietin serum levels were reported. We previously reported a 120/nl platelet cutoff level as a marker of clinically significant portal hypertension in schistosomiasis patients. To evaluate reticulated platelet counts and thrombopoietin serum levels (TPO) in schistosomiasis patients and correlate them with portal hypertension markers. Thirty-three schistosomiasis patients without co-morbidities were endoscopically classified as those with (n = 19) or without (n = 14) clinically significant portal hypertension. Flow cytometric determination of reticulated platelets was performed using CD41 antibody and thiazol orange. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed according to the Niamey protocol. TPO and hyaluronic acid serum levels were determined in duplicate using ELISA methods. The platelet number of 120/nl discriminates the two groups with 100% accuracy and 100% positive and negative predictive values, and correlates with spleen length and portal and splenic vein diameters. Differences in reticulated platelets and hyaluronic acid serum levels between both groups were significant (P = 0.025 and 0.012, respectively), but thrombopoietin serum levels were not (P = 0.769). Schistosomiasis patients with portal hypertension have increased reticulated platelets associated with normal TPO serum levels.