The Clinical Significance of Beta-Thromboglobulin and Platelet Factor-4 in Polycythaemic Patients

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Abstract
Simultaneous assays of platelet factor 4 (PF-4) and .beta.-thromboglobulin (.beta.TG) were performed in 192 cases of myeloproliferative syndromes (polycythemia vera and primary thrombocytosis). Both assays must be combined to avoid a poor interpretation due to marker release in vitro. The normality of the values must take the platelet number into account, even in the normal range of this parameter. The sensitivity of the .beta.TG assay is greater than that of PF-4 when considering the correlation of the marker values with arterial accidents. The predictive value of an excessive level of .beta.TG and/or PF-4 is difficult to define, since only 13 of the cases studied had a vascular accident during the 12-mo. follow-up period, and the levels of the markers in these patients were not statistically different from the levels in those patients not experiencing such accidents.