Thrombocytemia as a predictor of portal hypertension in schistosomiasis

Sufferers of schistosomiasis mansoni can evolve a clinical form of the dise ase associated with portal hypertension. To differentiate this form, routin e clinical tests and biological indices were evaluated. In all, 54 HBsAg- a nd HCV-negative patients were studied, 42 with schistosomiasis and 12 norma l volunteers. Using clinical criteria, ultrasonography, and endoscopy, the schistosomiasis patients were classified into two groups: mild chronic form (MS, N = 14) and chronic form associated with portal hypertension (PH, N = 28). The laboratory parameters of the MS group did not differ from the con trols. The PH group differed from the others in prothrombin index, thromboc ytemia, gamma -glutamyltransferase, serum alpha (2)-macroglobulin, and the calculated indices. ROC plot cutoff levels verified that isolated thrombocy temia was the most efficient marker for discrimination of the PH and MS for ms. Thrombocytemia of 130 x 10(9) platelets/liter discriminated the groups with an 86% accuracy when all patients were analyzed and 96% when only schi stosomiasis patients who did not consume alcohol were included.