Summary
Numerous reports exist on haematological pathology in alcoholism. However, no data
are available regarding a potential involvement of haematopoietic growth factors in
the recovery from alcohol-induced haematological abnormalities upon abstinence. Therefore,
thrombopoietin (TPO) and erythropoietin (EPO) serum levels along with haematological
and other routine laboratory parameters were closely followed in 14 thoroughly characterized
male alcoholic patients over one to five months of controlled abstention from alcohol.
Haematological changes in these early abstinent alcoholics consisted predominantly
of (a) the well known rebound surge of platelets, (b) an early reticulocyte peak,
and (c) persistently low haematocrit levels over months without signs of recovery.
Observations on EPO and TPO during early abstinence can be summarized as follows:
(1) Increased TPO levels precede the rebound thrombocytosis by several days, (2) both
EPO and TPO concentrations are higher in anaemic than in nonanaemic alcoholics, with
(3) nonanaemic subjects exhibiting levels of TPO in the range of healthy controls
but levels of EPO below controls and (4) TPO concentrations show a stronger correlation
with initial haematocrit values than with thrombocyte counts. To conclude, haematological
recovery in early alcohol abstinence appears to be, at least in part, growth factor-driven,
involving both TPO and EPO, and may reflect an intense interaction of erythro- and
thrombopoiesis.
Keywords
Erythropoietin - thrombopoietin - alcoholism - abstinence - trombocytosis