[The effect of blood from patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia and thrombopoietin on the thrombocyte count in the blood of mice].

We examined effects of serum belonging to persons suffering from chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenia on the number of thrombocytes in the peripheral blood of mice. The serum, 0.2 ml, was given to groups of mice intravenously and then the number of thrombocytes was examined during 14 days. A significant decrease of thrombocytes was established in mice receivers during the period of 6 hours to 12 days (it was maximal from the 4th to the 6th day). The same serum was given to two groups of mice and then one of them was also given thrombopoietin preparation. The number of thrombocytes was established 4 and 6 days later and in the group where only serum was given there was a significant decrease of thrombocytes. In the group where thrombopoietin was given apart from the serum, the number of thrombocytes remained normal. On the basis of these findings it has been suggested that, using such an experimental model, a biological in vivo test could be made to demonstrate antibodies in autoimmune thrombocytopenias and to establish that thrombopoietin could be a useful drug in cases of chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenia.