Factors regarding increase of platelet counts in chronic hepatitis C patients with sustained virological response to interferon-Relation to serum thrombopoietin levels.

Thrombocytopenia is frequently found in patients with chronic liver disease, and associated with advanced fibrosis stage and with decreased liver function. Serum thrombopoietin (TPO) levels also decrease as the disease progresses from mild fibrosis to cirrhosis. On the other hand, platelet counts increase associated with improvement of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) patients with sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon (IFN) therapy. Then, we studied if the increase of platelet counts in SVR associate with elevated TPO production or a reduction of spleen size. Liver fibrosis, spleen size, serum TPO levels, albumin, zinc turbidity test (ZTT), platelet counts were compared in fifteen CH-C patients with SVR before and after IFN therapy.