A SURVEY ON THE INCIDENCE OF PSEUDO-THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN THE IN-PATIENTS

Abstract

Shanthi Kumari B1, D. S. Somasekar2, Bharath G3, Gairik Kundu4

ABSTRACT: Fever with thrombocytopenia is frequently encountered in the clinical settings. However some cases of thrombocytopenia are associated with clumping of platelets resulting in pseudothrombocytopenia. This results in disparity in the counts on subsequent manual examination of the peripheral smear. This apparent disparity in the counts witnessed, when performed with automated machines has been attributed to platelet clumping trait of commonly used anticoagulant EDTA. Currently there is paucity of reports documenting the incidence of pseudothrombocytopenia in patients with decreased platelet counts. We attempted to survey the incidence of such cases at our hospital particularly in those with febrile thrombocytopenia. Patients presenting with main complaint as fever or as one of the chief complaints were analyzed for the study. Our aim was to estimate the incidence of pseudothrombocytopenia in patients with thrombocytopenia & to prevent or reduce unnecessary platelet transfusion in patients with pseudothrombocytopenia. Of the 301 patients analyzed, 30% (no=90) were found to have thrombocytopenia; out of which 23% (no=21/90) had pseudothrombocytopenia. Platelet transfusion was required only in 30% (no=6/21). This documents the magnitude of the problem of pseudothrombocytopenia and its potential added burden on the laboratory costs and its propensity to dictate inappropriate treatment avenues based on inaccurate counts.
 

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