Plasma thrombospondin in immune thrombocytopenic purpura
JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH, vol.30, no.1, pp.52-55, 2002 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 30 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2002
- Doi Number: 10.1177/147323000203000108
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.52-55
- Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) rarely suffer life-threatening haemorrhages despite significant thrombocytopenia, probably because large numbers of hyperfunctioning platelets are present. Thrombospondin is a platelet a-granule protein and its plasma level may reflect platelet activation. We assessed circulating thrombospondin levels in 12 newly diagnosed ITP patients (one man; 11 women, aged 36 +/- 16 years) before they were treated for ITP. Twelve healthy people (four men; eight women, aged 31 +/- 11 years) acted as controls. Plasma thrombospondin concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Thrombospondin concentrations tended to be higher, despite thrombocytopenia, in ITP patients (158.8 +/- 28.2 ng/ml) compared with controls (120.7 +/- 18.2 ng/ml). The difference was not statistically significant, but the relatively high circulating thrombospondin concentrations we observed suggest that residual platelets could be activated in ITP, thus indicating a more benign clinical course compared with aplastic thrombocytopenia.