“Summary  Inhibitors are a serious complication,


“Summary.  Inhibitors are a serious complication,

considerably increasing the morbidity, mortality and cost of treatment in this patient group [1]. The challenge of treating people with haemophilia (PWH) with inhibitors can be met by a well-coordinated multidisciplinary team specialized in haemophilia. Each treatment centre must run a screening programme to detect inhibitors within their population and develop protocols to treat these patients. The treatment centre in Buenos Aires developed check details a screening programme that tests all our patients twice a year, ensuring early detection of inhibitors and early treatment of complications. In 2006, we analysed the quality of life (QOL) of non-inhibitor patients and compared it with inhibitor patients detected by this programme and found no differences in QOL measured by the SF36 questionnaire and no differences in school absenteeism [2]. When diagnosis of the inhibitor does not come

from a screening programme, its presence is suspected upon a lack of response to conventional replacement therapy for musculoskeletal bleeding, losing the ‘golden moment’ of treatment. This EPZ-6438 cost complication is much more serious when facing a traumatic bleed. In this situation, the lack of early diagnosis can lead to permanent damage or even death. Due to the cost of bypassing factors and the lack of experience of the medical team in the treatment of patients with inhibitors, many treatments that would improve the QOL of patients are instituted

in an insufficient manner. Therefore, patients with haemophilia and inhibitors are often untreated or undertreated in their community. Orthopaedic surgeons and physiotherapists play a key role in the treatment of these patients and should be included in therapeutic decision making and most specifically in the postoperative treatment of patients with haemophilia and inhibitors. It is important that these patients have quick access click here to a trained therapeutic team in order to obtain an early diagnosis and treatment plan to prevent the evolution of the pathological process. Early treatment is cost-effective in maintaining and improving the QOL of patients. Experience in patients with haemophilia and inhibitors is not very extensive. Today, this situation is changing, with several treatment centres beginning to perform surgeries in these most complex patients, giving them a chance to improve their QOL. This article presents the experience of experts from various fields involved in treating patients with inhibitors from a developed and developing world perspective. P. L. F. Giangrande Data from the UK registry suggest that 14% of all patients with severe haemophilia A and 2% of those with haemophilia B develop inhibitors [3]. The major factor which determines the predisposition to inhibitor development is the underlying molecular defect.

They recommended ‘the early application of comprehensive care as

They recommended ‘the early application of comprehensive care as it was preferable to the previous emphasis on end-stage rehabilitative efforts’. In contemporary terms we can urge the adoption of prophylaxis as preferable to episodic therapy. Further studies reporting analyses of multiple haemophilia registries from the USA and Europe confirmed lower mortality, improved quality of life and fewer hospitalizations for patients whose care was supervised through an HTC [9,10]. Olaparib These examples highlighted the vital role of registries. In particular, the Universal

Data Collection (UDC) system, a surveillance system established in the USA HTC network in 1998, has provided a rich opportunity for researchers to report on many aspects of treatment outcomes in joint disease, inhibitor prevalence, viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis, physical function and educational achievements,

as standards of care evolve [11]. Primary and secondary prophylaxis programmes are becoming more widely implemented, due to widespread knowledge of their clinical superiority over see more episodic therapy and increased product availability in many countries. Registries will offer opportunities to study (and project) whole of lifetime care of the clinical and economic costs and benefits of much extended, even lifelong, prophylaxis. More data is needed, particularly where delayed prophylaxis is introduced in adults, where clinical benefit is not as well defined, selleck compound as yet, as in children

[12,13]. The development and organization of comprehensive care for patients with inherited bleeding disorders is a pioneering example of what is now recognized as chronic disease management. Disease management (DM) as defined by the Disease Management Association of America is a ‘system of co-ordinated healthcare interventions and communications for populations in which patient self-care efforts are significant’. Their programmes are developed to support clinician–patient relationships and plans for care. There is an emphasis on pre-emptive intervention to reduce symptoms that would otherwise lead to hospital admission or emergency department presentation. Clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes are evaluated on a continuing basis with the goal of improving overall health, such as a measured reduction in unscheduled hospital visits. DM models in the general community can be adapted to be disease-specific, such as for chronic heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many governments and health funders are familiar with the concepts of DM and look favourably on proven health and cost benefits. Presenting comprehensive care for people with bleeding disorders as a DM model familiarizes and alerts health policy practitioners to our patients’ needs both in and out of hospital.


“Changes in lifestyle are suspected to have strongly influ


“Changes in lifestyle are suspected to have strongly influenced the current obesity epidemic. Based on recent experimental, clinical, and epidemiological work, it has been proposed that some food contaminants may exert damaging effects on endocrine and metabolic functions, thereby promoting obesity and associated metabolic diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this work, we investigated the effect of one suspicious food contaminant, bisphenol A (BPA), in vivo. We used a transcriptomic approach NVP-LDE225 cost in male CD1 mice exposed for 28 days to different doses of BPA (0, 5, 50, 500, and 5,000 μg/kg/day) through food contamination. Data analysis revealed a specific

impact of low doses of BPA on the hepatic transcriptome, more particularly on genes involved in lipid synthesis. Strikingly, the effect of BPA on the expression of de novo lipogenesis

followed a nonmonotonic dose-response curve, with more important effects at lower doses than at the higher dose. In addition to lipogenic enzymes (Acc, Fasn, Scd1), the expression of transcription factors such as liver X Receptor, the sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, and the carbohydrate responsive element binding protein that govern the expression of lipogenic genes also followed a PF-02341066 chemical structure nonmonotonic dose-response curve in response to BPA. Consistent with an increased fatty acid biosynthesis, determination of fat in the liver showed an accumulation of cholesteryl esters and of triglycerides. Conclusion: Our

work suggests that exposure to low BPA doses may influence de novo fatty acid synthesis through increased expression of lipogenic genes, thereby contributing to hepatic steatosis. Exposure to such contaminants should be carefully examined in the etiology of metabolic diseases such as NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. (Hepatology 2012) Changes in diet and lifestyle are leading causes for the emergence of the metabolic diseases associated with obesity. Recently, the hypothesis that a number of food contaminants acting as endocrine-disrupting chemicals may influence metabolic diseases has been proposed.1 Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor highly prevalent in our environment. It is used as the monomer of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.2 The human population is widely exposed to low see more levels of BPA, primarily by way of the diet by migration from food and beverage containers.2 93% of urine samples collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) cohort revealed detectable levels of BPA.3 As a protective measure the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Agency have established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 50 μg/kg/day derived by applying an uncertainty factor of 100 to the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 5,000 μg/kg/day mainly based on liver and reproductive toxicity.

7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, −92 to 107; P = 0

7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, −9.2 to 10.7; P = 0.89). Among patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, the rate of sustained viral response was 45.8% (38 of 83 patients) at the UNM HCV clinic and 49.7% (73 of 147 patients) at ECHO sites (P = 0.57). Serious adverse events occurred in 13.7% of the patients

at the UNM HCV clinic and in 6.9% of the patients at ECHO sites. The results Alisertib chemical structure of this study show that the ECHO model is an effective way to treat HCV infection in underserved communities. Implementation of this model would allow other states and nations to treat a greater number of patients infected with HCV than they are currently able to treat. Despite improvements in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment over the past decade, uptake remains low in many settings. Treatment uptake is high among some hospital-based liver clinics (16%-42%)1-3; however, there is considerable variation across centers.4 In a study of 29,695 HCV-infected patients who accessed care within 2 years of HCV diagnosis at 128 facilities in the JAK activation Veterans Administration (VA) health care system,4 the overall rate of HCV treatment uptake by facility ranged from 1.5%-45% (median, 14.9%).4 In the community, the proportion having received treatment is even lower. Among 21 countries in the World Health Organization European region, only 1%-16% of

the population estimated to be infected with HCV had received treatment.5 In Australia, ≈8% have received pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin therapy since 2003,6 despite treatment being fully subsidized. In the United States, treatment rates are declining and if this trend continues, only 14.5% of estimated liver-related deaths caused by HCV between 2002-2030 will be prevented by therapy.7 Barriers to expanding HCV treatment in the community are multifactorial and selleck include issues of access to therapy and barriers at the level of the patient, practitioner, and system.8 HCV-infected patients often have complex social, medical, and psychiatric comorbidities,

complicating decisions around care. Factors associated with not receiving HCV treatment include older age,4 minority ethnicity,4 ongoing or former drug use,1-3, 8 ongoing alcohol use,2, 4 advanced liver disease,1 comorbid medical disease,3, 4 psychiatric disease,1, 4 and treatment for drug dependency.2, 8 The high prevalence of substance use, other medical diseases, and psychological comorbidity among patients with HCV makes increasing access to care particularly challenging. Practitioners play an important role in facilitating HCV assessment and treatment. In one study in the VA system, the strongest independent predictor of HCV treatment was attending one visit with an HCV specialist.4 In a community-based study in Australia, HCV-infected patients who had seen a general practitioner about HCV in the last 6 months were four times more likely to be assessed for therapy by a specialist.8 Practitioner experience is also important.

1994) (Fig 3) Indeed, CP is one of the genome regions most wide

1994) (Fig. 3). Indeed, CP is one of the genome regions most widely used for characterization of a PPV isolate because of the known intragroup variability occurring among PPV isolates worldwide (Glasa 2009). On the other hand, an isolate (Prunus sp. infected with a PPV strain) was found to exhibit variability in H 89 different parts of a plant over time (years) of infection, generating distinct populations that evolve independently in different tree organs (Jridi et al. 2006). Furthermore, recent studies of PPV genetic diversity based on partial sequences involving

the N-terminus of the CP region found a greater divergence within D-strain isolates (Glasa et al. 2012). In these studies, serological and molecular results allowed us to confirm the isolate as D strain of PPV. Nevertheless, this isolate presents two aa mutations at N-terminus of CP compared with a consensus of D-strain isolates. This characteristic correlates only to a

single isolate from Japanese plum cv. Red Beauty obtained in the Pocito orchard. see more A similar observation has been reported for other South American PPV isolates (Reyes et al. 2003; Fiore et al. 2010). Our study provides the basis for future research of new isolates from the same region to explore if the variability occurs in other plants of the same cultivar and/or in other varieties grown in this area. Such studies have already been initiated in the area because PPV is a threat to fruit production selleckchem in Argentina. The authors are grateful to Dr. Alejandra Arroyo for technical assistance in phylogenetic analyses. This work was supported by INTA and SECyT from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. “
“During a 3-year study, grapevines from

23 vineyards in Poland were surveyed for virus diseases and tested to determine the prevalence of the most economically important viruses by RT-PCR. The rate of positive samples was 2.2% for grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 (GLRaV-1), 1.9% for grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 (GLRaV-2), 1.5% grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3), 1.9% for grapevine virus A (GVA), 0.2% for grapevine virus B (GVB), 0.2% for grapevine virus E (GVE), 0.65% for grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), 20.4% for grapevine fleck virus (GFkV) and 71.9% for grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV). These viruses were found to occur as single or mixed infections of different combinations in individual grapevines. The overall viral infection rate in the surveyed grapevines was 82.6%. GRSPaV is the most widely distributed virus of all the viruses currently detected in the region. DNA sequencing confirmed the identification of the viruses in selected samples, and analysis indicated that the Polish isolates shared a close molecular identity with the corresponding isolates in GenBank.

Thus genetic and social effects on fitness are intertwined, both

Thus genetic and social effects on fitness are intertwined, both important in determining female success (Frère et al. 2010). Contrary to male-male Ku-0059436 molecular weight associations, age was not a significant factor

in female only associations. Female-female CoAs within and between age class were not significantly different and the majority of associations were between age classes. Spotted dolphin females had strong associations across age classes within their cluster because they associate highly with their older speckled and even mottled offspring. They also associate with other females and their older offspring, with whom they have had previous associations. It is obvious that females would have strong associations across classes between adults and calves, due to dependency during the first few years of the calves’ life. Subsequently mother/calf associations tend to drop significantly between calf years three and four (spotted dolphins: Herzing and Brunnick 1997; bottlenose dolphins:

Wells et al. see more 1987, Smolker et al. 1992), however, this study shows that some strong associations can remain, through adulthood of the offspring. Consistent mother-offspring associations up to 11 yr were documented in both this study and previously (Herzing and Brunnick 1997), indicating strong relationships through at least three age classes of the offspring (up to mottled). While the mother and offspring are closely associated, the offspring will be exposed to and have relationships with their mother’s associates and their offspring. Female associates may be daughters of their mother’s close associates, with whom they spent part of their infancy or juvenile period (Wells et al. 1987, Möller and Harcourt selleck chemicals llc 2008). The sociability of Shark Bay bottlenose dolphin

female calves has been shown to mirror that of their mothers (Gibson and Mann 2008). This parity may translate into adulthood, continuing on the “network” of female relationships. The formation of the Northern, Central, and Southern clusters may be influenced by both kinship and social familiarity between females, while reproduction and social familiarity affect the patterns of within-cluster associations. This community of spotted dolphins, like many bottlenose dolphin populations, has long-term affiliations that are often correlated with factors such as age, sex, and reproduction. Mating strategies and sex are the primary factors shaping social structure. Reproduction and social familiarity strongly influence female associations, whereas age and alliance formation strongly affect male associations. Future work should focus on defining the function of male alliances more definitively through behavioral analysis, genetics (relatedness and more paternity studies), and ranging patterns.

Thus genetic and social effects on fitness are intertwined, both

Thus genetic and social effects on fitness are intertwined, both important in determining female success (Frère et al. 2010). Contrary to male-male Palbociclib mouse associations, age was not a significant factor

in female only associations. Female-female CoAs within and between age class were not significantly different and the majority of associations were between age classes. Spotted dolphin females had strong associations across age classes within their cluster because they associate highly with their older speckled and even mottled offspring. They also associate with other females and their older offspring, with whom they have had previous associations. It is obvious that females would have strong associations across classes between adults and calves, due to dependency during the first few years of the calves’ life. Subsequently mother/calf associations tend to drop significantly between calf years three and four (spotted dolphins: Herzing and Brunnick 1997; bottlenose dolphins:

Wells et al. selleck chemicals 1987, Smolker et al. 1992), however, this study shows that some strong associations can remain, through adulthood of the offspring. Consistent mother-offspring associations up to 11 yr were documented in both this study and previously (Herzing and Brunnick 1997), indicating strong relationships through at least three age classes of the offspring (up to mottled). While the mother and offspring are closely associated, the offspring will be exposed to and have relationships with their mother’s associates and their offspring. Female associates may be daughters of their mother’s close associates, with whom they spent part of their infancy or juvenile period (Wells et al. 1987, Möller and Harcourt selleck 2008). The sociability of Shark Bay bottlenose dolphin

female calves has been shown to mirror that of their mothers (Gibson and Mann 2008). This parity may translate into adulthood, continuing on the “network” of female relationships. The formation of the Northern, Central, and Southern clusters may be influenced by both kinship and social familiarity between females, while reproduction and social familiarity affect the patterns of within-cluster associations. This community of spotted dolphins, like many bottlenose dolphin populations, has long-term affiliations that are often correlated with factors such as age, sex, and reproduction. Mating strategies and sex are the primary factors shaping social structure. Reproduction and social familiarity strongly influence female associations, whereas age and alliance formation strongly affect male associations. Future work should focus on defining the function of male alliances more definitively through behavioral analysis, genetics (relatedness and more paternity studies), and ranging patterns.

Cultures were observed for atleast one year Results: From macros

Cultures were observed for atleast one year. Results: From macroscopically affected colon, MAP-DNA was detected in 48.6%, 39% and 35.9% patients with CD, UC and controls, respectively (p = .001). MAP culture was positive in 14.3%, 11.4%, 14.3% (p = .08)patients with CD, UC and ITB,

respectively. From buffy coat MAP-DNA was detected in 16.1%, 19.5%, 25.7% and 14.7% (p = .66)patients and a positive MAP culture in 16.1%, 9.7%, 8.8% and 3% with CD, UC, ITB and controls, respectively. There was no correlation between MAP-PCR or MAP-culture positivity and disease location, disease duration http://www.selleckchem.com/products/mitomycin-c.html or use of immunosuppressive drugs. Conclusion: While MAP-DNA is detected in a slightly higher number of patients with CD, MAP could be cultured in equal proportion of patients with CD, UC and even ITB. These observations while do not overtly support an association between MAP and CD; an inhibitory role of mesalamines and azathioprine on MAP viability might be

playing a role in a low culture positivity. Key Word(s): 1. MAP; 2. Crohn’s disease; 3. ITB; 4. ulcerative colitis; Presenting Author: ROBERTA PICA Additional Authors: CLAUDIO CASSIERI, ELEONORAVERONICA AVALLLONE, MADDALENA ZIPPI, PIETRO CRISPINO, FRANCESCA MACCIONI, PAOLO PAOLUZI Corresponding Author: ROBERTA PICA Affiliations: IG-IBD Objective: Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) and Magnetic resonance enteroclysis (MRE) are techniques used for the evaluation of small bowel lesions, especially for Crohn’s disease (CD). Aim was to evaluate the efficacy BIBW2992 clinical trial and safety of WCE in comparison to MRE in patients with diagnosed or suspected CD. Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients (8 M, 8 F, median age: 46.2 years, range: 18–75) (14 with established diagnosis of CD and 2 suspected) were studied. All underwent a preliminary study with small bowel follow through (SBFT). In case of significant bowel stricture (<12 mm) WCE was not performed. Results: None

of the patients was receiving non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs. MRE was performed in all patients except 1 (claustrophobic reaction) and detected inflammatory lesions (reduction bowel lumen, disruption of the fold pattern or increased contrast uptake) in 11 cases (15/16, 73%). WCE was performed in 10 patients (5 were excluded for significant bowel strictures and 1 was unable to swallow the capsule.) see more and detected significant lesions (erythema, aphtas, ulcers, fissures or mucosal hemorrhages) in 9 cases (90%). Nine patients have been evaluated with both examinations: WCE detected inflammatory lesions of the small bowel in 8 cases (90%), while MRE in 6 cases (67%). Among the 3 patients negative for lesions of the small bowel at MRE, 1 resulted negative also at WCE, while the other 2 showed significant lesions of terminal ileum at WCE. Conclusion: WCE and MRE appear in the present study as complementary methods for diagnosing small bowel CD. Key Word(s): 1. CROHN’S DISEASE; 2. WCE; 3.

To confirm this hypothesis, the apoptotic index was compared betw

To confirm this hypothesis, the apoptotic index was compared between TAT-transfected and vector-transfected HCC cells by TUNEL staining. After STS treatment, TUNEL analysis revealed that the apoptotic index in Vec-7703 cells (13.6% ± 0.7%) was significantly lower than that of TAT-c2 (61.7% ± 3.9%, P < 0.05) or TAT-c3 (40% ±

1.4%, P < 0.05), confirming that TAT had a proapoptotic ability (Fig. 5B). Similarly, the apoptotic index in Vec-7402 cells (19.6% ± 1.7%) was also significantly lower CH5424802 in vivo than that of TAT-7402 (70.1% ± 3.5%, P < 0.05) after STS treatment (Fig. 5C). In addition, immunofluorescence staining showed that TAT was colocalized with mitochondria in TAT-transfected cells (Supporting Fig. 1). To elucidate the molecular basis of apoptosis induced by TAT, we studied its role in the potentially proapoptotic mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) event, which was measured by loss of mitochondrial ΔΨm using JC-1 dye. Red/orange fluorescence indicates intact mitochondria, NVP-LDE225 in vivo whereas green fluorescence indicates a collapse in mitochondrial ΔΨm. The result showed that the mitochondrial permeability and apoptotic index were similar before STS treatment (Fig. 5D). However, the mitochondrial permeability and apoptotic

index were significantly increased in TAT-7703 cells than that in Vec-7703 cells (67.5% ± 4.5% versus 17.8% ± 4.1%, P < 0.05) after STS treatment (Fig. 5D). Western blot analysis also showed that the release of Cyt-c into cytoplasm and cleavages of caspase-9 and PARP was dramatically increased in TAT-7703 cells after STS treatment compared with Vec-7703 (Fig. 5E). No obvious difference of caspase-8 was detected between the TAT-7703 and Vec-7703 cells. In addition, the mutant TAT could not induce apoptosis after STS treatment (Supporting Fig. 2E,F). To study the importance of TAT in regulating cell apoptosis, RNAi was used to knockdown endogenous TAT expression in PLC8024 cells. The result selleckchem showed that siRNA against TAT could significantly reduce TAT expression in

PLC8024 cells (Fig. 6A) and MPT assay showed that strong red fluorescence was observed after STS treatment, indicating that these cells obtained an antiapoptotic ability (Fig. 6B). This result was further confirmed by immunoblotting analysis, showing that knockdown of TAT could inhibit the cleavages of caspase-9 and PARP (Fig. 6C). Deletion of 16q is one of the most frequent genetic alterations in HCC, implying the existence of a tumor suppressor gene on 16q.2, 3, 12, 13 Loss of 16q was also frequently detected in other solid tumors including breast,14 lung,15 and gastric cancers,16 suggesting that 16q may harbor one or more TSGs and its inactivation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of many malignancies including HCC. In this study we characterized one candidate TSG, TAT, at 16q22.1. The accurate frequency of loss of TAT allele in 50 HCC cases was characterized by qPCR.

Thus, balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO

Thus, balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) seems to be useful to prevent recurrence of the thrombosis. Methods: We experienced two cases with cirrhosis in whom portal vein thrombosis disappeared after occlusion of huge spleno-renal shunt by B-RTO. Results: Subjects

were male patients with liver cirrhosis; 61 and 64 years-old men due to alcohol intake and HBV infection, respectively. Both patients were admitted to our hospital suffering from refractory hepatic encephalopathy and were diagnosed as having liver failure of grade-C according to the Child-Pugh classification. Abdominal CT examination revealed huge spleno-renal shunts and complete occlusion of main and right trunks of the portal vein by thrombosis. Anticoagulant therapies using danaparoid sodium and antithrombin III concentrates were not effective in both patients.

Then, occlusion of the spleno-renal shunt this website by B-RTO was performed. CT examination after the B-RTO procedures showed disappearance of thrombosis and recanalization of the portal vein. Conclusion: B-RTO can increase portal blood flow, and may be effective for attenuation of portal vein thrombosis without anticoagulant therapies as well as prevention of thrombosis recurrence after the therapies. Key Word(s): 1. B-RTO; 2. portal vein thrombosis Presenting Author: MUHAMAD AYUS ASTONI Additional Authors: FUAD BAKRY Corresponding Author: VIDI ORBA BUSRO Affiliations: Student of Sub-specialization programe (Sp-2) in Gastroentero-Hepatology Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Trichostatin A chemical structure Sriwijaya University, Palembang, Division of Gastroentero-Hepatology Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University, Palembang Background:  Thrombocytopenia

is a common manifestation of liver cirrhosis and hepatic fibrosis. The pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in liver cirrhosis and liver fibrosis which caused by chronic viral hepatitis is not well known. Thrombopoietin (TPO), which is produced mainly by the liver, has been identified as a humoral control mechanism of thrombopoiesis (Emmons et al, 1996; Eaton & de Sauvage, 1997). The TPO production may be inadequate in patients with severe necroinflammatory activity and in advanced liver fibrosis. learn more The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between stage of liver fibrosis, platelet count, and level of serum thrombopoietin in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Patients and Methods: Thirty Two patients with liver fibrosis which caused by chronic viral hepatitis were enrolled 4 patients (12.50 %) with stage F1 fibrosis; 4 patients (12.50 %) with stage F2 fibrosis; 5 patients (15.60 %) with stage F3 fibrosis; and 19 (59,4%) patients with F4/ cirrhosis. TPO levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Platelet counts were measured.