Background: The most potent stimulator for the hepatic synthesis of C-reactive protein is the interleukin-6. Also interleukin-6 is endowed with thrombopoietic activity, and its seric levels increases in most of secondary thrombocytosis whereas they remain normal in chronic myeloproliferative diseases or primary thrombocytosis. The aims of the study were verify the ability of quantitation of serum C-reactive protein in the differential diagnosis of primary thrombocytosis.
Methods: Serum samples from 89 patients with thrombocytosis (> 400 x 10(9)/1) and 54 normal controls were assayed for C-reactive protein. Patients with thrombocytosis were classified in primary thrombocytosis with 27 patients (chronic myeloproliferative disease with thrombocytosis) and secondary thrombocytosis (62 cases).
Results: The mean C-reactive protein serum levels observed in the 27 patients with primary thrombocytosis were 13 +/- 10 mg/l, superior to normal controls (7 +/- 5 mg/l; p < 0.01). In the secondary thrombocytosis group, C-reactive protein serum levels reached a mean value of 59 +/- 34 mg/l, clearly superior to control group and the primary thrombocytosis group (p < 0.0001). No patients in primary thrombocytosis group reached a C-reactive protein value > 40 mg/l, versus 65% of patients in secondary thrombocytosis group. A normal value occurred in 67% cases of primary thrombocytosis group, but also in 17% cases of secondary thrombocytosis group.
Conclusions: Quantitation of C-reactive protein could thus prove useful in the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary thrombocytosis.