Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of serum thrombopoietin (TPO) levels and its relationship with peripheral blood platelet (PLC) counts in patients with hepatitis B liver cirrhosis (LC). Methods 72 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 44 with LC were recruited in our hospital between January 2012 and January 2020, and serum TPO levels were detected. Results The peripheral blood PLT counts in patients with LC was 82(24,208)×10⁹/L, serum albumin (ALB)level was(31.6±6.7)g/L, the international normalized ratio of prothrombin time(INR) was (1.3±0.4), serum d-dimer level was 187(75,495)μg/L and serum TPO level was (70.4±25.8)pg/ml, all significantly different as compared to [180(36,352)×10⁹/L, (39.2±5.4)g/L, (1.1±0.2), (102.6±20.6) pg/ml and(102.6±20.6)pg/ml, P<0.05] in patients with CHB; the PLT count in 6 patients with LC of Child-Pugh class C was 56(24, 70)×10⁹/L, significantly lower than [108(66,170)×10⁹/L, P<0.05] in 14 LC patients with Child-Pugh class B or [130(76, 208)×10⁹/L, P<0.05] in 24 patients with Child-Pugh class A, serum ALB level was (22.9±7.5)g/L, significantly lower than[(32.4±6.1)g/L, P<0.05]in patients with Child-Pugh class B or [(36.5±7.9) g/L, P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class A, the INR was(1.4±0.8), significantly higher than [(1.2±0.6), P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class B or [(1.1±0.5), P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class A, serum D-dimer was 235(114, 495)μg/L, significantly higher than [166(84, 298)μg/L, P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class B or [108(75, 169)μg/L, P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class A, serum TPO level was (41.4±26.5)pg/ml, significantly lower than [(60.8±23.6) pg/ml, P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class B or [(88.6±14.7)pg/ml, P<0.05] in patients with Child-Pugh class A; serum TPO level was positively correlated to serum ALB and peripheral blood PLT counts(r=0.43, r=0.52, P<0.05), while it negatively correlated to INR and serum D-dimer (r=-0.38, r=-0.48, P<0.05) in patients with LC. Conclusion With the decline of liver functions, serum TPO levels and peripheral blood PLT counts decrease significantly, and the correlation of decreased PLT counts to serum TPO levels warrants further investigations.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Hepatitis B, Thrombopoietin, Platelet counts