Platelet counts to spleen diameter ratio:A promising noninvasive tool for predicting esophageal varices in cirrhosis patients

BACKGROUND Liver cirrhosis is the end stage of progressive liver fibrosis as a consequence of chronic liver inflammation,wherein the standard hepatic architecture is replaced by regenerative hepatic nodules,which eventually lead to liver failure.Cirrhosis without any symptoms is referred to as compensated cirrhosis.Complications such as ascites,variceal bleeding,and hepatic encephalopathy indicate the onset of decompensated cirrhosis.Gastroesophageal varices are the hallmark of clini-cally significant portal hypertension.AIM To determine the accuracy of the platelet count-to-spleen diameter(PC/SD)ratio to evaluate esophageal varices(EV)in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS This retrospective observational study was conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specia-lized Hospital and Adera Medical Center from January 1,2019,to December 30,2023.Data were collected via chart review and direct patient interviews using structured questionnaires.The data were exported to the SPSS software version 26 for analysis and clearance.A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted for splenic diameter,platelet count,and PC/SD ratio to obtain sensitivity,speci-ficity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,positive likelihood ratio,and negative likelihood ratio.RESULTS Of the 140 participants,67%were men.Hepatitis B(38%)was the most common cause of cirrhosis,followed by cryptogenic cirrhosis(28%)and hepatitis C(16%).Approximately 83.6%of the participants had endoscopic evidence of EV,whereas 51.1%had gastric varices.Decompensated cirrhosis and PC were associated with the presence of EV with adjusted odds ratios of 12.63(95%CI:3.16-67.58,P=0.001)and 0.14(95%CI:0.037-0.52,P=0.004),respectively.A PC/SD ratio<1119 had a sensitivity of 86.32%and specificity of 70%with area under the curve of 0.835(95%CI:0.736-0.934,P<0.001).CONCLUSION A PC/SD ratio<1119 predicts EV in patients with cirrhosis.It is a valuable,noninvasive tool for EV risk assess-ment in resource-limited settings.

Platelet count/spleen diameter ratio to predict esophageal varices in Mexican patients with hepatic cirrhosis

AIM: To validate whether the platelet count/spleen size ratio can be used to predict the presence of esophageal varices in Mexican patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Prognosis of ulcerative colitis differs between patients with complete and partial mucosal healing, which can be predicted from the platelet count

AIM: To determine the difference in clinical outcome between ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) 0 and those with MES 1.

Low preoperative platelet counts predict a high mortality after partial hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM： To assess the validity of our selection criteria for hepatectomy procedures based on indocyanine green disappearance rate （KICG）, and to unveil the factors affecting posthepatectomy mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. METHODS： A retrospective analysis of 198 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent partial hepatectomies in the past 14 years was conducted. The selection criteria for hepatectomy procedures during the study period were KICG≥0.12 for hemihepatectomy, KICG≥0.10 for bisegmentectomy, KCG≥0.08 for monosegmentectomy, and KICG≥ 0.06 for nonanatomic hepatectomy. The hepatectomies were categorized into three types： major hepatectomy （hemihepatectomy or a more extensive procedure）, bisegmentectomy, and limited hepatectomy. Univariate （Fishers exact test） and multivariate （the logistic regression model） analyses were used. RESULTS： Postoperative mortality was 5% after major hepatectomy, 3% after bisegmentectomy, and 3% after limited hepatectomy. The bhree percentages were comparable （P = 0.876）. The platelet count of ≤ 10× 10^4/μL was the strongest independent factor for postoperative mortality on univariate （P = 0.001） and multivariate （risk ratio, 12.5; P= 0.029） analyses. No patient with a platelet count of 〉7.3× 10^4/μL died of postoperative morbidity, whereas 25% （6/24 patients） of patients with a platelet count of ≤7.3×10^4/μL died （P〈0.001）. CONCLUSION： The selection criteria for hepatectomy procedures based on KICG are generally considered valid, because of the acceptable morbidity and mortality with these criteria. The preoperative platelet count independently affects morbidity and mortality after hepatectomy, suggesting that a combination of KICG and platelet count would further reduce postoperative mortality.

Association between baseline platelet count and severe adverse outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective The aim is to evaluate the association between baseline platelet count （PC） and severe adverse outcomes following percu- taneous coronary intervention （PCI） in current real-world practice. Methods A total of 18,788 patients underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents constituted the study population. Patients were categorized as having low （〈 150 × 1000μ.L）, normal （150-300 × 1000μL）, and high （≥ 300 × 1000μL） baseline PC. The primary endpoints included in-hospital and follow-up all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoint was major bleeding requiring a blood transfusion. Results In-hospital mortality rates for patients with low, normal, and high baseline PC were 0.6%, 0.4%, and 0.4%, respectively （P = 0.259）. Similarly, mortality rates during long-term follow-up （median 23.8 months） for patients with low, normal, and high baseline PC were 0.9%, 0.6%, and 0.7%, respectively （P = 0.079）. After multivariate adjustment, patients with low or high baseline PC tended to have similar risks for both in-hospital and follow-up mortality compared with the normal group. Subgroup analyses failed to demonstrate an independent prognostic value of baseline PC in specific population groups except patients who undwent transfemoral PCI. There was also no significant difference in the incidence of major bleeding requiring a blood transfusion in the low, normal, and high groups （0.5%, 0.3%, and 0.3%, respectively; P = 0.320）. After multivariate adjustment, low or high baseline PC did not signi- ficantly increase the risk of major bleeding. Conclusion There is no significant association between baseline PC and severe adverse out- comes following PCI in current real-world practice.

Longitudinal changes in personalized platelet count metrics are good indicators of initial 3-year outcome in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Platelet count or complete blood count(CBC)-based ratios including lymphocyteto-monocyte(LMR),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte(NLR),hemoglobin-to-platelet(HPR),red blood cell count distribution width-to-platelet(RPR),and platelet-tolymphocyte(PLR)ratio are good predictors of colorectal cancer(CRC)survival.Their change in time is not well documented,however.AIM To investigate the effect of longitudinal CBC ratio changes on CRC survival and their possible associations with clinicopathological properties,comorbidities,and anamnestic data.METHODS A retrospective longitudinal observational study was conducted with the inclusion of 835 CRC patients,who attended at Semmelweis University,Budapest.CBC ratios and two additional newly defined personalized platelet count metrics(pPLT_(D)and pPLT_(S),the platelet counts relative to the measurement at the time of CRC diagnosis and to the one 4-6 wk after tumor removal surgery,respectively)were recorded.RESULTS The 835 CRC patients had a total of 4608 measurements(5.52 visits/patient,in average).Longitudinal survival models revealed that the increases/decreases in LMR[hazard ratio(HR):0.4989,P<0.0001],NLR(HR:1.0819,P<0.0001),HPR(HR:0.0533,P=0.0038),pPLT_(D)(HR:4.9229,P<0.0001),and pPLT_(S)(HR:4.7568,P<0.0001)values were poor prognostic signs of disease-specific survival.The same was obtained for all-cause mortality.Most abnormal changes occurred within the first 3 years after the diagnosis of CRC.RPR and PLR had an only marginal effect on diseasespecific(P=0.0675)and all-cause mortality(Bayesian 95%credible interval:0.90–186.05),respectively.CONCLUSION LMR,NLR,and HPR are good metrics to follow the prognosis of the disease.pPLT_(D)and pPLT_(S)perform just as well as the former,while the use of RPR and PLR with the course of the disease is not recommended.Early detection of the abnormal changes in pPLT_(D),pPLT_(S),LMR,NLR,or HPR may alert the practicing oncologist for further therapy decisions in a timely manner.

Platelet count reduction and outcomes in living liver donors

BACKGROUND: Platelet count reduction in living donors after graft harvesting is very common. The mechanisms and the subsequent adverse consequences are not clear. The present study was to explore the mechanisms and the consequences of platelet count reduction in living donors. METHODS: We collected data from 231 living liver donor patients who donated at our transplant center between July 2002 and August 2009. Baseline and post-operative platelet counts were collected and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare the risk factors for the persistent decrease in platelet counts. Complications and other postoperative recovery were compared between the donors. RESULTS: Platelet count decreased differently at each of the follow-up intervals, and the average reduction from baseline evaluation to year 3 was 18.2%. A concomitant decrease in white blood cells was observed with platelet count reduction. All of the splenic volumes at the post-operative follow-up time points were significantly higher than those at baseline(P【0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the graft-to-donor weight ratio was a risk factor for low postoperative platelet counts in living donors at the three followup time points: one week(P=0.047), one month(P=0.034), and three months(P=0.047). At the one week follow-up time, 77 donor platelet counts were higher(group 1) and 151 donor platelet counts were lower(group 2) than baseline levels. Two hemorrhage events(1.3%) were observed in group 2, while three hemorrhage events(3.9%) were observed in group 1(P=0.211). The overall complication rate was comparable between the two groups(P=0.972). CONCLUSION: An increase in harvesting graft may decrease platelet counts, but this reduction does not produce short- or long-term damage in living liver donors.

Combination of type Ⅳ collagen 7S, albumin concentrations, and platelet count predicts prognosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is the most common cause of chronic liver disease and affects approximately 25%of the general global adult population.The prognosis of NAFLD patients with advanced liver fibrosis is known to be poor.It is difficult to assess disease progression in all patients with NAFLD;thus,it is necessary to identify patients who will show poor prognosis.AIM To investigate the efficacy of non-invasive biomarkers for predicting disease progression in patients with NAFLD.METHODS We investigated biomarkers associated with mortality in patients with NAFLD who visited the Kawasaki Medical School General Medical Center from 1996 to 2018 and underwent liver biopsy and had been followed-up for>1 year.Cumulative overall mortality and liver-related events during follow-up were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and compared using log-rank testing.We calculated the odds ratio and performed receiver operating characteristic curve analysis with logistic regression analysis to determine the optimal cut-off value with the highest prognostic ability.RESULTS We enrolled 489 patients who were followed-up for a period of 1-22.2 years.In total,13 patients died(2.7%of total patients enrolled);7 patients died due to liverrelated causes.Poor prognosis was associated with liver fibrosis on histological examination but not with inflammation or steatosis.Blood biomarkers associated with mortality were platelet counts,albumin levels,and type IV collagen 7S levels.The optimal cutoff index for predicting total mortality was a platelet count of 15×10^(4)/μL,albumin level of 3.5 g/dL,and type IV collagen 7S level of 5 mg/dL.In particular,only one-factor patients with NAFLD presenting with platelet counts≤15×10^(4)/μL,albumin levels≤3.5 g/dL,or type IV collagen 7S≥5 mg/dL showed 5-year,10-year,and 15-year survival rates of 99.7%,98.3%,and 94%,respectively.However,patients with two factors had lower 5-year and 10-year survival rates of 98%and 43%,respectively.Similarly,patients with all three factors showed the lowest 5-year and 10-year survival rates of 53%and 26%,respectively.CONCLUSION A combination of the three non-invasive biomarkers is a useful predictor of NAFLD prognosis and can help identify patients with NAFLD who are at a high risk of all-cause mortality.

High plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count unfavorably impact survival in non–small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases

High expression of fibrinogen and platelets are often observed in non–small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients with local regional or distant metastasis. However, the role of these factors remains unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count, as well as to determine the overall survival of NSCLC patients with brain metastases. A total of 275 NSCLC patients with brain metastasis were enrolled into this study. Univariate analysis showed that high plasma fibrinogen concentration was associated with age ≥ 65 years(P = 0.011), smoking status(P = 0.009), intracranial symptoms(P = 0.022), clinical T category(P = 0.010), clinical N category(P = 0.003), increased partial thromboplastin time(P < 0.001), and platelet count(P < 0.001). Patients with low plasma fibrinogen concentration demonstrated longer overall survival compared with those with high plasma fibrinogen concentration(median, 17.3 months versus 11.1 months; P ≤ 0.001). A similar result was observed for platelet counts(median, 16.3 months versus 11.4 months; P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that both plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count were independent prognostic factors for NSCLC with brain metastases(R2 = 1.698, P < 0.001 and R2 = 1.699, P < 0.001, respectively). Our results suggest that high plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count indicate poor prognosis for NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Thus, these two biomarkers might be independent prognostic predictors for this subgroup of NSCLC patients.

Pretreatment platelet count improves the prognostic performance of the TNM staging system and aids in planning therapeutic regimens for nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a singleinstitutional study of 2,626 patients

Introduction:Thrombocytosis has been identified as an unfavorable prognostic factor in several types of cancer.This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment platelet count in association with the TNM staging system and therapeutic regimens in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).Methods:A total of 2,626 patients with NPC were retrospectively analyzed.Platelet count >300 × 10~9/L was defined as thrombocytosis.Matched-pair analysis was performed between patients receiving chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy.Results:Multivariate analysis showed that platelet count was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for overall survival(OS)[hazard ratio(HR) = 1.810,95%confidence interval(CI) = 1.531-2.140,P < 0.001]and distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS)(HR = 1.873,95%CI = 1.475-2.379,P < 0.001) in the entire patient cohort.Further subgroup analysis revealed that increased platelet count was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for OS and DMFS in patients with NPC stratified by early and advanced T category,N category,or TNM classification(all P < 0.001).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves verified that the predictive value of TNM classification for OS was improved when combined with pretreatment platelet count(P = 0.030).Matched-pair analysis showed that chemoradiotherapy significantly improved OS only in advanced-stage NPC with thrombocytosis(HR = 0.416,95%CI = 0.226-0.765,P = 0.005).Conclusions:Pretreatment platelet count,when combined with TNM classification,is a useful indicator for metastasis and survival in patients with NPC.It may improve the predictive value of the TNM classification and help to identify patients likely to benefit from more aggressive therapeutic regimens.

Prognostic significance of preoperative platelet count in patients with gallbladder cancer

AIM:To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative platelet count(PLT) in patients with primary gallbladder cancer(GBC).METHODS:The clinical data of 223 GBC patients after surgery was retrospectively reviewed.A receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was plotted to verify the optimum cutoff point for PLT.Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with the prognosis.RESULTS:The ROC curve showed that the optimum cutoff point for PLT was 178 × 109/L,and the entire cohort was stratified into group A with PLT > 178 × 109/L and group B with PLT ≤ 178 × 109/L.Group A had a better survival than group B(P < 0.001).There was an obvious difference between the two groups in terms of the differentiation degree,advanced tumor stage,lymph node metastasis(P < 0.001) and pathological type(P < 0.05).The univariate analysis demonstrated that tumor location,differentiation degree,TNM stage,Nevin stage,lymph node metastasis and PLT were associated with overall survival(P < 0.001).In the multivariate analysis,PLT(P = 0.032),lymph node metastasis(P = 0.007),tumor location(P < 0.001) and TNM stage(P = 0.005) were independent prognostic factors.CONCLUSION:PLT is closely correlated with GBC prognosis and could be used to identify the population with a poorer prognosis after surgery.

Ratio of mean platelet volume to platelet count is a potential surrogate marker predicting liver cirrhosis

AIM To provide a simple surrogate marker predictive of liver cirrhosis(LC).METHODS Specimens from 302 patients who underwent resection for hepatocellular carcinoma between January 2006 and December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on pathologic findings, patients were divided into groups based on whether or not they had LC. Parameters associated with hepatic functional reserve were compared in these two groups using MannWhitney U-test for univariate analysis. Factors differing significantly in univariate analyses were entered into multivariate logistic regression analysis.RESULTS There were significant differences between the LC group(n = 100) and non-LC group(n = 202) in prothrombin activity, concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin, cholinesterase, type Ⅳ collagen, hyaluronic acid, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min, maximal removal rate of technitium-99 m diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin and ratio of mean platelet volume to platelet count(MPV/PLT). Multivariate analysis showed that prothrombin activity, concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin and hyaluronic acid, and MPV/PLT ratio were factors independently predictive of LC. The area under the curve value for MPV/PLT was 0.78,with a 0.8 cutoff value having a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 78%.CONCLUSION The MPV/PLT ratio, which can be determined simply from the complete blood count, may be a simple surrogate marker predicting LC.

Low platelet count: Predictor of death and graft loss after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND The impact of platelets on liver transplantation(LT) is well recognized, but not completely understood. Platelets exert dichotomous effects on the graft and on the patient. On the one hand, they are essential for primary hemostasis and tissue repair and regeneration. On the other hand, they support ischemia/reperfusion injury and inflammatory processes. Recent evidence has shown a new role for platelet count(PC) in predicting outcomes after LT.AIM To evaluate if low PC is a predictor of short-and long-term outcomes after LT.METHODS Four hundred and eighty consecutive LT patients were retrospectively assessed.PC from the preoperative to the seventh postoperative day(POD) were considered. C-statistic analysis defined the ideal cutoff point for PC. Cox regression was performed to check whether low PC was a predictor of death,retransplantation or primary changes in graft function within one year after LT.RESULTS The highest median PC was 86 × 109/L [interquartile range(IQR) = 65–100 ×109/L] on seventh POD, and the lowest was 51 × 109/L(IQR = 38–71 × 109/L) on third POD. The C-statistic defined a PC < 70 × 109/L on fifth POD as the ideal cutoff point for predicting death and retransplantation. In the multivariate analysis, platelets < 70 × 109/L on 5 POD was an independent risk factor for death at 12 mo after LT [hazard ratio(HR) = 2.01; 95% confidence interval(CI) 1.06-3.79;P = 0.031]. In the Cox regression, patients with PC < 70 × 109/L on 5 POD had worse graft survival rates up to one year after LT(HR = 2.76; 95%CI 1.52-4.99; P =0.001).CONCLUSION PC < 70 × 109/L on 5 POD is an independent predictor of death in the first year after LT. These results are in agreement with other studies that indicate that low PC after LT is associated with negative outcomes.

Significance of platelet count in children admitted with bronchiolitis

AIM To determine the true prevalence of thrombocytosis in children less than 2 years of age with bronchiolitis,its association with risk factors,disease severity and thromboembolic complications.METHODS A retrospective observational medical chart review of 305 infants aged two years or less hospitalized for bronchiolitis.Clinical outcomes included disease severity,duration of hospital stay,admission to pediatric intensive care unit,or death.They also included complications of thrombocytosis,including thromboembolic complications such as cerebrovascular accident,acute coronary syndrome,deep venous thrombosis,pulmonary embolus,mesenteric thrombosis and arterial thrombosis and also hemorrhagic complications such as bleeding(spontaneous hemorrhage in the skin,mucous membranes,gastrointestinal,respiratory,or genitourinary tracts).RESULTS The median age was 4.7 mo and 179 were males(59%).Respiratory syncytial virus was isolated in 268(84%),adenovirus in 23(7%) and influenza virus A or B in 13(4%).Thrombocytosis(platelet count > 500 × 109/L) occurred in 88(29%;95%CI:24%-34%),more commonly in younger infants with the platelet count declining with age.There was no significant association with the duration of illness,temperature on admission,white blood cell count,serum C-reactive protein concentration,length of hospital stay or admission to the intensive care unit.No death,thrombotic or hemorrhagic events occurred.CONCLUSION Thrombocytosis is common in children under two years of age admitted with bronchiolitis.It is not associated with disease severity or thromboembolic complications.

Relationship between platelet count and gastric cancer stage and prognosis

Objective:The aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between gastric cancer stage, prognosis and blood platelets count. Methods: Platelet (PLT) count was analyzed retrospectively in 203 patients with gastric cancer from 1998 to 2002. The survivals of gastric cancer were compared between normal PLT group and thrombocytosis group. Results: Among 203 cases, PLT increased in 21 cases. The average platelet counts of patients at different stages had statistically significant differences (P<0.01). The 3-and 5-year survivals in patients of thrombocytosis group were lower than those of the normal PLT group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Thrombocytosis in gastric cancers with advanced stage are common. And PLT count can be a prognostic indicator of survival in patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy.

Progression of Platelet Counts in Treatment Naïve HIV/HCV Co-Infection

Background: Previous research has suggested an association between infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and low platelet counts. This study estimates platelet count changes over time in HIV/HCV co-infected participants and compares them with the changes in platelet count among HIV mono-infected participants to test if HIV/HCV co-infection is associated with lower platelet counts. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all HIV treatment naive patients from four sites in the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) cohort with platelet count measurements between 2002 and 2009. We conducted a mixed effects linear regression modeling the mean change in platelet count per year while adjusting for age, sex, race, baseline CD4 cell count, and site. Index date was the first platelet count after 2002, and participants were censored upon initiation of treatment for HIV or HCV. Results: There were 929 HIV/HCV co-infected and 3558 HIV mono-infected participants with a mean follow-up time of 1.2 years. HIV/HCV co-infected participants had on average a slighter lower platelet count at baseline (234,040 vs. 242,780/μL;p-value = 0.004), and a more rapid mean reduction per year (7230 vs. 3580/μL;p-value 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, baseline CD4 count. Conclusions: In treatment naive participants, HIV/HCV co-infection is associated with a more rapid decline in platelet count compared with HIV mono-infection.

Platelet count and sustained virological response in hepatitis C treatment

AIM:To examine the epidemiological data,hematological safety and treatment responses of peginterferonalpha 2a plus ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C.METHODS:Between March 2008 and February 2011,196 hepatitis C virus(HCV)genotype 1 infected Japanese(127 treatment-naive and 69 treatment-experienced patients)patients treated with peginterferonalpha 2a plus ribavirin were enrolled.We examined the epidemiological data and treatment responses were retrospectively analyzed in terms of hematological safety.HCV RNA was measured by the COBAS TaqMan HCV test.RESULTS:Overall sustained virological response(SVR)rates of treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients were 56% and 39%,respectively.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SVR was attained independently of early virological response in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients.SVR rates did not differ between the pretreatment hemoglobin < 13 g/dL and ≥ 13 g/dL groups.However,in treatment-naive patients,the SVR rate of the pretreatment platelet count < 130000/μL group was significantly lower than that of the pretreatment platelet count ≥ 130000/μL group.CONCLUSION:Attention should be paid to potential thrombocytopenia in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients.

Pre-mobilization platelet count predicts stem cell yield during mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma

Background Autologous hematopoietic stem cell(HSC)transplantation remains the recommended treatment for eligible patients with multiple myeloma(MM).Increasing the number of transplanted CD34^(+)cells shorten the time to hematopoietic reconstitution and increases the overall survival of patients.With the harvest of a sufficient CD34^(+)cell number being crucial,this study aimed to predict the factors that affect stem cell collection.Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 110 patients who were newly diagnosed with MM and underwent autologous HSC collection at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital between March 2016 and July 2022.Multiple factors were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U tests for between-group comparisons.Differences were considered statistically significant at P<0.05.Results We found that patient age affected stem cell collection significantly;for patients younger than 55 years,the number of CD34^(+)cells harvested may be≥2×10^(6)/L,is unlikely to reach 5×10^(6)/L.Platelet count at initial mobilization was a predictor of the number of CD34^(+)cells collected.Collection may fail when the platelet count at initial mobilization is below 17×10^(9)/L and may be excellent when it is higher than 199×10^(9)/L.Conclusions This finding could guide us to predict the approximate number of CD34^(+)cells collected in advance during autologous transplant mobilization for MM and to decide in advance whether to apply plerixafor to improve the number of HSCs collected.

Fall of platelet count in children with traumatic brain injury： is it of value？

Objective： Trauma is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among young age groups in Saudi Arabia and developed countries. This study aimed to evaluate the fall of platelet count in children with traumatic brain injury （TBI） as a potential predictor for clinical severity and outcome. Methods： Totally 74 patients with TBI were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit （PICU） of our hospital from the beginning of January 2008 to the end of March 2010 （27 months）. Baseline enrolling criteria were age ≤ 12 years, admission within 4 hours after trauma event, and abbreviated injury scale （AIS）〈3 for extracranial injuries. Injury severity was classified as mild, moderate and severe according to their Glasgow Coma Scale （GCS） scores. Clinical outcomes at discharge were defined as poor （death, severe neurological morbidity） and favorable （moderate disability and good recovery）. Platelet count was taken 2-3 times on the first day after admission and thereafter once daily. The percentage fall of platelet count （PFP） was calculated and taken as an index of change. PFP was considered zero if the platelet count was higher than the initial value. Results： PFP was significantly higher in patients with poor outcomes （mean 56.0%±3.8%, median 55.5%） compared to those with favorable outcomes （mean 25.3%±3.2%, median 20.5%, P〈0.01）. PFP was also closely related to the severity of TBI, GCS score, clinical outcome and length of stay for survivors （P〈0.01 for each）. The frequency of thrombocytopenia was significantly higher in poor outcome patients than in favorable outcome patients （P〈0.05）. The validity of thrombocytopenia as a risk factor to predict poor outcome after TBI was： specificity, 77.4%; odd ratio （OR）, 3.1; relative risk （RR）, 2.15. Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve and Youden index showed that the optimum cutoff point of PFP was at 51.5%. Conclusion： PFP is increased with the severity of TBI and it can be taken as a significant independent predicting factor for its outcome as well.