Thrombopoietin receptor agonist is more effective than platelet transfusion for chronic liver disease with thrombocytopenia, shown by propensity score matching

Chinese expert consensus on clinical management of hepatopathy-related thrombocytopenia (2023 edition)

Hepatopathy-related thrombocytopenia refers to a reduction in platelet count caused by liver disease or its treatment. The incidence of this condition is correlated with the duration and severity of liver disease. The direct impact of thrombocytopenia on the clinical outcome of patients with liver disease is an increased risk of bleeding. In addition, the indirect effect involves delays or discontinuation of treatment due to the potential risk of bleeding. The pathophysiological mechanisms of hepatopathy-related thrombocytopenia include reduced platelet production, abnormal distribution, increased destruction or consumption, and so on. Current treatment strategies targeting different mechanisms include thrombopoietic agents, surgery, immunosuppressants, and platelet transfusion. However, their clinical application lacks standardization. The National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases organized experts to discuss and develop this consensus to enhance the clinical management level of hepatopathy-related thrombocytopenia in China. The experts focused on aspects of diagnosis, classification, and choosing the best treatment plans based on the most recent research in the field.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Lusutrombopag for Chronic Liver Disease Based on Pre-Treatment Platelet Counts: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Oral thrombopoietin receptor agonists are used to treat thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease who are scheduled for invasive procedures. The efficacy of lusutrombopag based on the pretreatment platelet count was investigated.

METHODS

Patients treated at nine hospitals from December 2015 to December 2023 were included. Efficacy was assessed by comparing the proportion of patients achieving a platelet count ≥ 50 000/μL and the change in platelet count.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were eligible for evaluation. Patients with a pretreatment platelet count < 40 000/μL had a significantly lower rate of achieving a platelet count of ≥ 50 000/μL than those with a pretreatment count of 40 000-50 000/μL (62.5% vs. 84.2%, p = 0.038); however, there was no significant difference in the change in platelet count (25 700 vs. 24 400/μL, p = 0.972). Patients with viral-related cirrhosis showed a significantly greater change in platelet count than the others (29 100 vs. 19 200/μL, p = 0.012). For patients receiving multiple lusutrombopag treatments, the change in platelet count was significantly lower in the second treatment than in the first treatment (26 900 vs. 20 800/μL, p = 0.041). The main adverse event observed was thrombosis (2.9%).

DISCUSSION

Lusutrombopag increases platelet count regardless of pretreatment levels, but efficacy, defined as achieving a platelet count of ≥ 50 000/μL, may be insufficient in patients with a pretreatment platelet count < 40 000/μL. Additionally, patients with non-viral liver disease responded less well to treatment compared to those with viral liver disease. Therefore, treatment strategies should be tailored based on pretreatment platelet counts and the etiology of liver disease.

Lusutrombopag Reduces the Risk of Hemoperitoneum Caused by Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Compared with Platelet Transfusion

INTRODUCTION

Patients with liver cirrhosis develop thrombocytopenia and an increased risk of bleeding events after invasive procedures. Lusutrombopag, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, can increase the platelet count. This study assessed whether lusutrombopag reduces the risk of hemoperitoneum following percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma, compared with platelet transfusion.

METHODS

Participants in the present study comprised patients with severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count <50,000/μL) enrolled between November 2012 and March 2020, excluding patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia or anticoagulant use. Hemoperitoneum rate, hemostasis rate, hemoglobin reduction rate, rate of achieving a platelet count ≥50,000/μL, and increases in platelet count and factors contributing to hemoperitoneum were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

This study enrolled 41 patients, comprising 18 patients administered lusutrombopag and 23 patients who received platelet transfusion. The major hemoperitoneum rate after RFA was tend to be lower in the lusutrombopag group (0%) than in the platelet transfusion group (21.7%). All of the major hemoperitoneum was observed in the platelet transfusion group. Hemoglobin reduction rate was lower in the lusutrombopag group (-0.17%) than in the platelet transfusion group (6.79%, p = 0.013). Hemostasis rate was lower in the lusutrombopag group (0%) than in the platelet transfusion group (21.7%, p = 0.045). The rate of achievement of platelet counts ≥50,000/μL the day after RFA was higher in the lusutrombopag group (100%) than in the platelet transfusion group (60.9%, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Lusutrombopag may be able to perform RFA more safely with respect to the hemoperitoneum caused by percutaneous radiofrequency ablation compared with platelet transfusion.

Recombinant human thrombopoietin treatment in patients with chronic liver disease-related thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Chronic liver disease (CLD) related thrombocytopenia increases the risk of bleeding and poor prognosis. Many liver disease patients require invasive procedures or surgeries, such as liver biopsy or endoscopic variceal ligation, and most of them have lower platelet counts, which could aggravate the risk of bleeding due to liver dysfunction and coagulation disorders. Unfortunately, there is no defined treatment modality for CLD-induced thrombocytopenia. Recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) is commonly used to treat primary immune thrombocytopenic purpura and thrombocytopenia caused by solid tumor chemotherapy; however, there are few reports on the use of rhTPO in the treatment of CLD-related thrombocytopenia.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of rhTPO in the treatment of patients with CLD-associated thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures.

METHODS

All analyses were based on the retrospective collection of clinical data of patients with CLD who were treated in the Department of Infectious Diseases at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between June 2020 and December 2021. Fifty-nine male and 41 female patients with liver disease were enrolled in this study to assess the changes in platelet counts and parameters before and after the use of rhTPO for thrombocytopenia. Adverse events related to treatment, such as bleeding, thrombosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, were also investigated.

RESULTS

Among the enrolled patients, 78 (78%) showed a platelet count increase after rhTPO use, while 22 (22%) showed no significant change in platelet count. The mean platelet count after rhTPO treatment in all patients was 101.53 ± 81.81 × 109/L, which was significantly improved compared to that at baseline (42.88 ± 16.72 × 109/L), and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In addition, patients were further divided into three subgroups according to their baseline platelet counts (< 30 × 109/L, 30-50 × 109/L, > 50 × 109/L). Subgroup analyses showed that the median platelet counts after treatment were significantly higher (P < 0.001, all). Ninety (90%) patients did not require platelet transfusion partially due to an increase in platelet count after treatment with rhTPO. No serious adverse events related to rhTPO treatment were observed. Overall, rhTPO demonstrated good clinical efficacy for treating CLD-associated thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

rhTPO can improve platelet count, reduce the risk of bleeding, and decrease the platelet transfusion rate, which may promote the safety of invasive procedures and improve overall survival of patients with CLD.

Lusutrombopag has slightly stronger effects on patients with mild thrombocytopenia compared with those with severe thrombocytopenia: A multicenter propensity score matching study

BACKGROUND

Lusutrombopag effectively increases platelet count in patients with severe thrombocytopenia. However, no multicenter studies analyzing the effects of Lusutrombopag on patients with mild thrombocytopenia (platelet count > 50 000/µL) have been performed. In this study, we aimed to clarify the efficacy of Lusutrombopag on these patients by unifying background factors by propensity score matching.

METHODS

A total of 139 patients with thrombocytopenia were enrolled, and matched for age, sex, etiology, disease, treatment, liver function, renal function, peripheral blood count, and spleen index. The primary endpoint was to compare the increase in platelet count from baseline between the high-platelet group (>50 000/µL) and the low-platelet group (<50 000/µL) after Lusutrombopag treatment, using propensity score matching. The secondary endpoint was to clarify platelet transfusion avoidance rate and adverse events, moreover, to identify independent predictors associated with the increase in platelet count.

RESULTS

The mean increase in platelet count was 67 000/μL vs 48 000/μL in all patients (high- vs low-platelet group, P = .024), and 64 000/μL vs 48 000/μL (P = .12) after propensity score matching. The increase in platelet count and the platelet transfusion avoidance rate tended to be higher in the high-platelet group. There was no significant difference between adverse events. Predictors associated with an increase in platelet count were sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and spleen index by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Lusutrombopag has a little stronger effect in patients with mild thrombocytopenia than those with severe thrombocytopenia and showed a more substantial effect in patients with impaired renal function and small spleen.

Dualistic role of platelets in living donor liver transplantation: Are they harmful?

Platelets are anucleate fragments mainly involved in hemostasis and thrombosis, and there is emerging evidence that platelets have other nonhemostatic potentials in inflammation, angiogenesis, regeneration and ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R injury), which are involved in the physiological and pathological processes during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). LDLT is sometimes associated with impaired regeneration and severe I/R injury, leading to postoperative complications and decreased patient survival. Recent studies have suggested that perioperative thrombocytopenia is associated with poor graft regeneration and postoperative morbidity in the short and long term after LDLT. Although it is not fully understood whether thrombocytopenia is the cause or result, increasing platelet counts are frequently suggested to improve posttransplant outcomes in clinical studies. Based on rodent experiments, previous studies have identified that platelets stimulate liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. However, the role of platelets in LDLT is controversial, as platelets are supposed to aggravate I/R injury in the liver. Recently, a rat model of partial liver transplantation (LT) was used to demonstrate that thrombopoietin-induced thrombocytosis prior to surgery accelerated graft regeneration and improved the survival rate after transplantation. It was clarified that platelet-derived liver regeneration outweighed the associated risk of I/R injury after partial LT. Clinical strategies to increase perioperative platelet counts, such as thrombopoietin, thrombopoietin receptor agonist and platelet transfusion, may improve graft regeneration and survival after LDLT.

Effects of Lusutrombopag on Post-invasive Procedural Bleeding in Thrombocytopenic Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

INTRODUCTION

Thrombocytopenia can increase the bleeding risk in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) undergoing invasive procedures. Prophylactic platelet transfusion (PT) is often performed to increase platelet counts in patients with CLD undergoing invasive procedures to prevent bleeding. Lusutrombopag, a small-molecule thrombopoietin receptor agonist, is expected to be an alternative therapy to prophylactic PT. This study aimed to compare the effects between lusutrombopag and PT.

METHODS

Data were obtained from a Japanese administrative database (April 2008-May 2019). Patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent planned invasive procedures after the first CLD diagnosis and were observed for ≥ 30 days prior to invasive procedures were considered eligible. Patients who underwent planned invasive procedures with lusutrombopag prescription at 5-30 days before the procedure were categorized as the lusutrombopag group, whereas those who received PT at 1 day before and/or on the same day as the procedure, without lusutrombopag prescription, were classified as the PT group. Outcomes, including bleeding frequency during hospitalization and average medical costs (costs for prophylactic treatment and total costs between the day of the invasive procedure and 30 days after the invasive procedure), were compared between the groups after matching.

RESULTS

Among 738,878 patients with CLD, 379 cases for each group were identified after matching. The incidence of bleeding events was lower in the lusutrombopag group than in the PT group (3.7% vs. 8.2%, p < 0.001). Average medical costs were lower in the lusutrombopag group than in the PT group ($6667 as of August 2021 vs. $7170, p = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

Lusutrombopag is suggested to be effective as a prophylactic treatment for bleeding prevention in patients with CLD undergoing planned invasive procedures.

Treatment algorithm for thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease undergoing planned invasive procedures

Thrombocytopenia is highly prevalent in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and these patients often require invasive procedures that carry a risk of bleeding. To prevent bleeding, guidelines recommend increasing platelet counts in patients with CLD who have thrombocytopenia and are planned to undergo invasive procedures. There are currently two options to increase platelet counts in patients in this setting: platelet transfusion or thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPORAs). Several treatment algorithms have been developed in the US to help physicians choose the best course of treatment for each patient; however, to date, no such algorithm has been proposed in other countries, where the choice of treatment has been based on each physician's judgment and experience. Here, we discuss the pathogenesis and treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD, we review and present current evidence of the efficacy of TPORAs for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD, and we present our expert opinion on a Japanese treatment algorithm for thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD who are planned to undergo invasive procedures. This algorithm aims to provide guidance for optimal decision making in the selection of TPORA therapy or platelet transfusion based on the latest evidence and according to actual clinical practice.

Efficacy of Lusutrombopag for Thrombocytopenia in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease Scheduled to Undergo Invasive Procedures

Objective Lusutrombopag is a thrombopoietin receptor agonist that improves thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease scheduled to undergo invasive procedures. However, information on the efficacy of repeated lusutrombopag treatment and factors associated with the treatment is scarce. We analyzed the efficacy of repeated lusutrombopag treatment and the factors associated with a response to lusutrombopag. Methods Thirty-nine patients with chronic liver disease who received lusutrombopag treatment before undergoing invasive procedures were enrolled in this retrospective study. Of the 39 patients, 10 received lusutrombopag treatment multiple times for a total of 53 regimens of lusutrombopag treatment. Changes in platelet counts, the effects of repeated lusutrombopag treatment, and factors associated with response to lusutrombopag were analyzed. Results The median platelet count increased significantly from 4.5×10⁴/μL before lusutrombopag treatment to 7.2×10⁴/μL before the invasive procedure (p<0.01), and patients undergoing 49 of the 53 (92%) treatment regimens succeeded in undergoing invasive procedures without needing platelet transfusions. In patients who received lusutrombopag treatment repeatedly, the median platelet count significantly increased following the second administration of lusutrombopag, and the effects of lusutrombopag were similar between the first and second administration. A multivariate analysis identified the absence of diabetes mellitus (odds ratio, 5.56 for presence; p=0.04) as a significant and independent predictor of a response to lusutrombopag. Conclusion Lusutrombopag treatment significantly increased platelet counts in patients with chronic liver disease, making it possible to receive invasive procedures. The treatment produced identical effects when it was repeated. The efficacy of lusutrombopag might be decreased in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Lusutrombopag is effective and safe in patients with chronic liver disease and severe thrombocytopenia: a multicenter retrospective study

Background

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is often complicated by severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50,000/µL). Platelet transfusion has been a gold standard for increasing the platelet count to prevent hemorrhagic events in such patients. Lusutrombopag, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, can increase the platelet count in such patients when invasive procedures are scheduled. Former studies on lusutrombopag included patients with a platelet count of > 50,000/µL at baseline: the proportions of patients who did not require platelet transfusion were 84–96%, which might be overestimated.

Methods

The efficacy and safety of lusutrombopag were retrospectively investigated in CLD patients with platelet count of < 50,000/µL, a criterion for platelet transfusion, in real-world settings. We examined the proportion of patients who did not require platelet transfusion in 31 CLD patients, which exceeded a minimum required sample size (21 patients) calculated by 80% power at a significance level of 5%. Lusutrombopag, 3 mg once daily, was administered 8–18 days before scheduled invasive procedures.

Results

Among 31 patients who received lusutrombopag, 23 patients (74.2%) patients showed a platelet count of ≥ 50,000/µL (Group A) and did not require platelet transfusion. The remaining 8 patients (25.8%) did not reached platelet ≥ 50,000/µL (Group B). The means of platelet increase were 38,000/µL and 12,000/µL in groups A and B, respectively. A low platelet count at baseline was a characteristic of patients in group B. Among 13 patients who repeatedly used lusutrombopag, lusutrombopag significantly increased the platelet count as the initial treatment. When all repeated uses of lusutrombopag were counted among these 13 patients, platelet transfusion was not required in 82.1% (23/28) of treatments. Although one patient showed portal thrombosis after lusutrombopag treatment, the thrombosis was disappeared by anticoagulant treatment for 35 days. The degree of platelet increase with lusutrombopag was larger than that in their previous platelet transfusion.

Conclusions

The proportion of patients who did not require platelet transfusion was 74.2%, which is smaller than that in former studies which included CLD patients with a platelet count of > 50,000/µL. However, lusutrombopag is effective and safe for CLD patients with a platelet count of < 50,000/µL.