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Serum levels of stem cell factor and thrombopoietin are markedly decreased in fulminant hepatic failure patients with a poor prognosis
Author(s) -
Okumoto Kazuo,
Saito Takafumi,
Onodera Motoyuki,
Sakamoto Ayuka,
Tanaka Mamiko,
Hattori Etsuko,
Haga Hiroaki,
Ito Jun–Itsu,
Sugahara Kazuhiko,
Saito Koji,
Togashi Hitoshi,
Kawata Sumio
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04497.x
Subject(s) - thrombopoietin , medicine , stem cell factor , fulminant hepatic failure , granulocyte colony stimulating factor , fulminant , haematopoiesis , hematopoietic growth factor , gastroenterology , stem cell , bone marrow , fulminant hepatitis , hepatitis , immunology , transplantation , liver transplantation , chemotherapy , genetics , biology
Background and Aim: Hematopoietic growth factors including stem cell factor (SCF), thrombopoietin (TPO) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) have a potential role in inducing bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells to move into the circulation, and the association of these factors with liver regeneration has received a lot of attention recently. The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of such factors in patients with acute liver injury. Methods: The subjects were 25 patients with acute hepatitis (AH) who had a favorable prognosis and 26 patients with fulminant hepatitis (FH), of whom 11 were alive and 15 had died. Sixty‐six healthy subjects matched for age and sex served as controls. Serum samples were collected before treatment, and the levels of SCF, TPO and G‐CSF were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbant assays. Results: The levels of SCF and TPO were significantly lower in FH patients than in AH patients and the controls, and were also significantly lower in the FH patients who died, compared to the surviving patients. The G‐CSF levels did not differ among them. Conclusions: These results suggest that low serum levels of SCF and TPO may be linked to poor prognosis in patients with severe liver injury.