Serum thrombopoietin levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVE: To observe thrombopoietin (TPO) levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS: The study was performed between November 2010 and March 2011 at the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey. A total of 60 consecutive patients with ultrasound proven NAFLD (study group), and 28 healthy volunteers (control study) were included in the study. The patient group was divided into 3 subgroups according to the ultrasonographic images as follows: minimal, intermediate, and marked hepatosteatosis. The TPO levels of the patient subgroups were compared with the healthy controls. All the data were collected prospectively, and recorded in FUHIS data collecting system, which is produced by our data-knowledge team. Quantitative measurements of thrombopoietin level were carried out by using the Human Thrombopoietin Quantikine ELISA Kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA).

RESULTS: Thrombopoietin levels were significantly increased in the patient subgroups compared with the controls. The TPO levels were also higher in the patient subgroup of grade 1-nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (grade 1- NAFLD) compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION: The TPO increased in patients with NAFLD possibly as an acute phase reactant to decreased inflammation. In clinical practice, physicians should be alerted to increased TPO levels in patients.