Publication Date:
2019-11-13
Description:
Introduction: Chronic liver disease (CLD) results in thrombocytopenia [1]. Depression of thrombopoietin (TPO) levels in CLD leads to thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia increases the risk of bleeding in patients undergoing invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures [2]. TPO agonists have been depicted to be safe and efficacious in the treatment of thrombocytopenia due to idiopathic immune thrombocytopenia and aplastic anemia. Several studies have evaluated the use of TPO agonist versus placebo for pre-procedural treatment of thrombocytopenic patients with chronic liver disease. These studies were of limited sample sizes. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine if TPO agonists reduce the need of platelet transfusions before procedures in chronic liver disease patients. Methods: We performed a computerized search of Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases through March 2019 for studies evaluating the efficacy of thrombopoietin (TPO) agonists versus placebo in the treatment of thrombocytopenia of chronic liver disease patients undergoing procedures. We screened 295 studies and only 5 of them met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were studies with adults 〉18 years old, English literature, randomized controlled trials utilizing a TPO agonists in chronic liver disease patients. Exclusion criteria were studies with patients
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
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