Module Abstract

Thrombocytopenia in Hepatitis C: Impact on Patient Management

Abstract

As discussed in this review by Maribel Rodriguez-Torres, MD, CPI, thrombocytopenia is a common finding in chronic liver disease, complicating diagnostic and therapeutic invasive procedures and anti-HCV therapy in many patients. Available treatment is inadequate and mostly limited to platelet transfusions with associated adverse events and complications. Recent research has provided substantial evidence that activating megakaryocyte progenitor cells with cytokines or through activation of the thrombopoietin receptor stimulates platelet production. Therapies that target this pathway have been shown to reverse thrombocytopenia in patients with cancer, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and HCV-associated liver disease. In particular, an increasing understanding of the role of thrombopoietin in thrombopoiesis has led to the development of numerous agents that increase platelet counts. These novel agents offer thrombocytopenic patients with chronic liver disease an attractive alternative to traditional approaches, such as platelet transfusions with their associated risks, and data suggest that they may improve outcomes of anti-HCV therapy.