01774nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653002100065653001100086653001100097653002300108653002500131653000900156653001100165653001600176653001600192653001900208653002600227653001600253653001900269653001800288100001000306245007800316856004100394300001100435490000700446520098100453022001401434       2002                            d  c2002 Sep10aAdult10aErythema Nodosum10aFemale10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aLeprosy, lepromatous10aMale10aMexico10aMiddle Aged10aPhilippines10aPlatelet Count10aRetrospective Studies10aThalidomide10aThrombocytosis10aUnited States1 aRea T00aElevated platelet counts and thrombocytosis in erythema nodosum leprosum.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v70n3a01.pdf  a167-730 v703 a<p>Changes in peripheral blood platelet counts associated with the onset of symptomatic erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) were studied by comparing, in each patient, the value obtained on the day thalidomide therapy commenced with the average of the three preceding values. In the 11 patients studied, the mean platelet count rose from 235 to 322 x 10(3)/mm3, p < 0.001. In 3, the platelet count was above the normal limit, qualifying as thrombocytosis, in 7 the rise was appreciable, and in 2 it was negligible. In the 3 patients studied 1-2 weeks after beginning thalidomide, the mean count was 414 x 10(3)/mm3. Counts obtained after 3 or more weeks of thalidomide therapy were within normal limits. This study provided no direct evidence as to the mechanism responsible for the elevated platelet count, but mediation by interleukin-6 (IL-6) was concluded to be an attractive hypothesis, consistent with prior studies of IL-6 in reactive thrombocytosis and of IL-6 in ENL.</p>  a0148-916X