ROLE OF ANTIPLATELET ANTIBODIES IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE

Hassanin B-M1, Khalifa S-G1, Behairy B-E2 and El-ShaarawyA-A2

1 Benha Faculty of Medecine, Benha, Egypt

2 National liver Institute, Menoufia, Egypt

 

A community based study for the incidence of the circulating antiplatelet antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA- IgG) in children with Chronic liver diseases (CLD) and their relation to the platelet count compared to cases with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia (ITP) and evaluating their practical significance in CLD patients compared to normal controls.

Seventy two children were enrolled in this study. They were classified into 3 main groups: Group I: 42 patients with CLD, Group II: 15 patients with ITP and Group III: 15 healthy children as controls. Univariate analysis showed that thrombocytopenia is significantly associated with CLD of various etiologies in our children. Its incidence and severity are significantly related to the incidence of liver cirrhosis but not significantly related to the spleen size or the incidence of bleeding manifestations. Antiplatelet antibodies and ACA-IgG are significantly found in children with CLD of various etiology and their levels are significantly related to the severity of liver disease (decompensated cirrhosis) but not related to the platelet count, spleen size or the incidence of compensated lover disease. While the ACA-IgG is significantly correlated with the incidence of bleeding manifestations in CLD patients, the antiplatelet antibodies are not. The incidence of thrombocytopenia, positive antiplatelet antibodies and positive ACA-IgG are higher in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) than in other causes of CLD. This enhances the concept that an immune-mediated mechanism is involved in the platelet destruction and the development of thrombocytopenia in children with CLD as it does in ITP patients.

 

So we recommend for further studies to evaluate the clinical importance of ACAs in children with CLD.

 

 
1194