A STUDY OF PREVALENCE OF THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS B PATIENTS AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE SEVERITY OF HEPATIC FIBROSIS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF NORTH EAST INDIA.

Abstract

Background: Thrombocytopenia which is dened as circulating platelet count below 150×109/L, is one of the uncommon extra-hepatic manifestation of Chronic hepatitis B infection.1 Thrombocytopenia in Chronic hepatitis B infection mainly attributes to hepatic cirrhosis of liver, autoimmune destruction of direct platelets and megakaryocytes, impaired production of platelets due to impaired thrombopoietin production.2–4 Objective: To assess the platelet count in chronic hepatitis B patients and its association with the severity of hepatic brosis. Materials and methodology: Ahospital based observational study was conducted among 70 chronic hepatitis B patients where chronic hepatitis B infection was conrmed by HbcIg-Total and HbcIgM ELISA kit test. Platelets were being counted with the help of microscope and neubauer slide. Severity of brosis is graded by liver point shear wave elastography machine. Results:Among the 70 Chronic hepatitis B patients 24 patients were found have thrombocytopenia. Value of mean platelet count (in ×109/L) were 327.14±62.07, 224.14±72.56, 191.88±18.89, 157.55±13.24 and 121.43±60.71 in normal hepatic status; mild, signicant, severe brosis and cirrhosis respectively. Conclusion: From the study thrombocytopenia can be considered as one of the extra-hepatic manifestations in CHB patients where the platelet count is found to be inversely proportional to the severity of hepatic brosis with signicant association (p value < 0.0001).