Essential thrombocytosis (ET) is a myeloproliferative disorder resulting
in an increased production of abnormal platelets. Reactive
thrombocytosis (RT) is occasionally observed in clinical situations
including chronic inflammation and malignancy. The aim of the present
study was to evaluate the discriminatory efficiency of various
laboratory tests in patients with ET and cancer-related RT. Forty-five
patients with ET, 52 patients with RT, and 25 age-matched normal
individuals comprised the study population. Plasma interleukin-1 alpha
(IL-1a), IL-2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), platelets,
hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive
protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ferritin were determined.
We found increased levels of territin, LDH, CRP, ESR, IL-1a, and IL-6 in
RT compared with ET (p < 0.01 to p < 0.0005). Hemoglobin, hematocrit,
and platelets were significantly lower in RT than in ET (p < 0.0005).
Furthermore, ferritin and ESR were negatively correlated with Hct,
hemoglobin, and TNF-a, whereas ferritin was positively correlated with
ESR, IL-1a, IL-6, and CRP, and IL-1a was positively correlated with
IL-6. We consider that the aforementioned parameters should be included
in the investigation of unexplained thrombocytosis for the
differentiation of essential from cancer related thrombocytosis