Re: Review article: Blood platelet number and function in chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.

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This is interesting to me because my son's platelets have always been too high.Right now they are 814 and have been much higher. Normal is up to 450 at his lab.How many others here have high platelets? Has this been polled?This paper suggest it might be something to look at.LeeReview article: Blood platelet number and function in chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.Conclusions: Platelet research in liver disease is a growing area of investigation and could provide new pathophysiological insights.Responsible Author/ reprint request: WittersAfd. Hepatologie, O. & N. 1,Herestraat 49 -bus 703,BE-3000 Leuven,BelgiumTel + 32 (0)16 34 58 45Fax + 32 (0)16 34 58 46.witters (AT) gmail (DOT) comAbstract Background: The liver plays a central role in coagulation and fibrinolysis but is also closely intertwined with the function and number of blood platelets.Aim and Methods: To describe and integrate all literature concerning ‘liver disease’ and ‘blood platelets’ by performing a thorough literature research.Results: Thrombocytopenia is a marked feature of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Traditionally, this thrombocytopenia was attributed to passive platelet sequestration in the spleen. More recent insights suggest an increased platelet breakdown and to a lesser extent decreased platelet production play a more important role.Besides the reduction in number, other studies also suggest functional platelet defects. This platelet dysfunction is probably both intrinsic to the platelets and secondary to soluble plasma factors. It reflects not only a decrease in aggregability, but also an activation of the intrinsic inhibitory pathways. The net effect, finally, is a decreased platelet function in the various types of chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis.Finally, recent data suggest platelets are not only affected by but can also contribute to the liver disease process as for instance in viral hepatitis and cholestatic liver disease.Conclusions: Platelet research in liver disease is a growing area of investigation and could provide new pathophysiological insights.