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DOI: 10.1160/TH04-02-0086
Effect of altitude on thrombopoietin and the platelet count in healthy volunteers
Correspondence to:
Publication History
Received
11 February 2004
Accepted after resubmission
09 September 2004
Publication Date:
14 December 2017 (online)
Summary
Although there is evidence that altitude increases the platelet count, its effect on the platelet precursor stimulating factor, thrombopoietin (TPO), is unclear. Unlike erythropoietin, TPO appears largely unresponsive to exogenous signals. In a study in 16 healthy volunteers,we report the effects of altitude exposure at between 1000 and 1822 m for 1 or 2 weeks on TPO, the platelet count (+ indices), erythropoietin, hemoglobin, hematocrit and erythrocytes (+ indices).There were significant post-expo-sure increases in TPO (57.9 vs 37.1 U/l; P = 0.0006), platelet count (219.1 vs 208.0 x 103/ml; P = 0.031) and erythropoietin (16.1 vs 9.9 U/l; P = 0.0032).There was a positive correlation between the increases in TPO and platelet count (r = 0.52, P = 0.043). Hemoglobin and hematocrit remained unchanged. Our results provide clear evidence for a relationship, presumably driven by hypoxia, between altitude exposure,TPO production and the platelet count.
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References
- 1 Wolber EM, Jelkmann W. Thrombopoietin: the novel hepatic hormone. News Physiol Sci 2002; 17: 6-10.
- 2 Nagasawa T, Hasegawa Y, Shimizu S. et al Serum thrombopoietin level is mainly regulated by megakaryocyte mass rather than platelet mass in human subjects. Br J Haematol 1998; 101: 242-4.
- 3 Broudy VC, Lin NL, Sabath DF. et al Human platelets display high-affinity receptors for thrombopoietin. Blood 1997; 89: 1896-904.
- 4 Hudson JG. The effect of high altitude on platelet counts, thrombopoietin and erythropoietin levels in young Bolivian airmen visiting the Andes. Int J Biometeorol 1999; 43: 85-90.
- 5 Krafft A, Huch R, Hartmann S. et al Combined thrombopoietin and platelet response to altitude in a patient with autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Thromb Haemost 2004; 91: 626-7.
- 6 Chapman ES, Sorette M, Hetherington E. et al A rapid, automated flow cytometric method to measure activated degranulated platelets by density determination. Thromb Haemost 2003; 89: 1004-15.
- 7 Simon-Schnass I, Korniszewski L. The influence of vitamin E on rheological parameters in high altitude mountaineers. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1990; 60: 26-34.
- 8 Jelkmann W. The role of the liver in the production of thrombopoietin compared with erythropoietin. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001; 13: 791-801.
- 9 Levine BD, Stray-Gundersen J. "Living hightraining low": effect of moderate-altitude acclimatization with low-altitude training on performance. J Appl Physiol 1997; 83: 102-1.
Correspondence to:
-
References
- 1 Wolber EM, Jelkmann W. Thrombopoietin: the novel hepatic hormone. News Physiol Sci 2002; 17: 6-10.
- 2 Nagasawa T, Hasegawa Y, Shimizu S. et al Serum thrombopoietin level is mainly regulated by megakaryocyte mass rather than platelet mass in human subjects. Br J Haematol 1998; 101: 242-4.
- 3 Broudy VC, Lin NL, Sabath DF. et al Human platelets display high-affinity receptors for thrombopoietin. Blood 1997; 89: 1896-904.
- 4 Hudson JG. The effect of high altitude on platelet counts, thrombopoietin and erythropoietin levels in young Bolivian airmen visiting the Andes. Int J Biometeorol 1999; 43: 85-90.
- 5 Krafft A, Huch R, Hartmann S. et al Combined thrombopoietin and platelet response to altitude in a patient with autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Thromb Haemost 2004; 91: 626-7.
- 6 Chapman ES, Sorette M, Hetherington E. et al A rapid, automated flow cytometric method to measure activated degranulated platelets by density determination. Thromb Haemost 2003; 89: 1004-15.
- 7 Simon-Schnass I, Korniszewski L. The influence of vitamin E on rheological parameters in high altitude mountaineers. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1990; 60: 26-34.
- 8 Jelkmann W. The role of the liver in the production of thrombopoietin compared with erythropoietin. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001; 13: 791-801.
- 9 Levine BD, Stray-Gundersen J. "Living hightraining low": effect of moderate-altitude acclimatization with low-altitude training on performance. J Appl Physiol 1997; 83: 102-1.