[Effect of splenectomy on blood serum thrombopoietic activity (ATS) in patients with hematopoietic diseases].

Thrombocytopoietic activity (ATS) was determined in tests on mice on the day before and on the 1st, 7th, and 14th days after splenectomy in 18 patients (13 with idiopathic thrombocytopenia, 5 with haemolytic anaemia). It was found that in patients with ITP and high-grade splenic destruction of platelets ATS increased on the first days after splenectomy. On the other hand, in ITP patients with low-grade splenic platelet destruction splenectomy decreased the value of ATS immediately after the operation. Splenectomy performed in cases with normal platelet count caused no greater changes in ATS in the first week. These observations suggest that in patients with increased splenic destruction of platelets ATS may be inhibited and this inhibition may be removed after splenectomy. Absent correlation between ATS and platelet count may indicate that the value of ATS is not of decisive importance in thrombocytopenia regression following splenectomy.