Abstract - 2018 - Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Platelet Count
Platelets (also called thrombocytes) are small blood cell fragments made by your bone marrow. They help form blood clots to stop you from bleeding when you've been injured.
Platelets are small cell fragments in your blood that help form clots to stop the bleeding when you're hurt. (Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)
If you have a lower than typical platelet count, it's called thrombocytopenia. This can happen due to different conditions, infections, some medicines, and some surgeries.
If you have a higher than typical platelet count, it can be caused by genetic mutations that make your bone marrow produce more platelets. This is called primary thrombocythemia. If it's caused by an underlying disorder that triggers the stem cells in your bone marrow to make more platelets, it's called secondary thrombocytosis.
You may or may not have symptoms if you have an abnormal platelet level. If you do, they usually include bleeding or blood clots.
Read on to learn more about a blood platelet count.
A platelet count measures the number of platelets in your blood. It's usually done as part of a complete blood count (CBC), which measures the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in your blood.
Normal platelet count
Platelets generally make up less than 1% of your total blood volume. A healthy platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood.
Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
If your platelet count is fewer than 150,000 per microliter of blood, that means you have a low platelet count. Your doctor may call this thrombocytopenia. If you're injured, you may not have enough platelets to form a blood clot and stop the bleeding.
You may not have any symptoms with a low platelet count. Your doctor may discover you have it when you go in for a routine blood test. Whether or not you have symptoms depends on how low your platelet count is and what's causing it.
If you do have symptoms, they include:
Low platelet count causes
You may have a low platelet count because:
Your spleen is an organ in your belly that stores about a third of all your platelets and helps your immune system fight infections.
Some conditions that can cause low platelet count include:
High platelet count
If your platelet count is higher than 450,000 per microliter of blood, then you have a high platelet count. A high platelet count can cause blood clots to form in any of your blood vessels, which can lead to deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and heart attack. You may be more likely to develop complications from blood clots if you have conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure that can damage your blood vessels.
If your doctor can't find another health condition that caused your high platelet count, it's called primary or essential thrombocythemia. If it's caused by another condition, it's called secondary or reactive thrombocytosis. Secondary thrombocytosis is more common than thrombocythemia.
Primary thrombocythemia is when the stem cells in your bone marrow that make platelets grow excessively. This can happen because of mutations in your genes that happen over time. You're more likely to have symptoms with thrombocythemia than with thrombocytosis. Symptoms include:
Secondary thrombocytosis is when an underlying disorder triggers the stem cells in your bone marrow to make more platelets. It's unlikely you'll have symptoms from secondary thrombocytosis.
Conditions that can cause secondary thrombocytosis include:
When to get a platelet count
You usually have a platelet count done as part of a complete blood count (CBC), which measures the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in your blood. Most doctors will order a CBC as part of your routine physical exam. But your doctor may order one specifically if you have symptoms, such as:
Some factors that can affect your platelet levels include:
Platelet count preparation
There are no special requirements that you need to prepare for when you get a platelet count done. Since a platelet count is usually done as part of other blood testing, you may need to fast or limit your water intake. Your doctor can let you know if that's the case, but be sure to ask, especially if you take medicines every day. They may want you to wait to take your medicine until after the test.
Platelet count procedure
Platelet counts are relatively noninvasive and quick. Your provider will take a small blood sample from one of your veins and then put the sample in a tube or vial. This usually takes around five minutes.
There is very little that can go wrong in this test. At most, you might feel some pain and have minor bruising where the needle went in.
Platelet count results
You may get your platelet count results within a week. Depending on the procedure your doctor's office follows, you may get a letter with your results, or it may come to you through an online patient portal. On your lab report, you will see the number of platelets (PLT) in your blood, and you may also see the average size (called mean platelet volume or MPV).
Platelet count false readings
Occasionally, you could get a false result if your platelets stick together in a clump. The lab equipment that counts your blood cells can't count all the platelets in a clump, so the result will show fewer platelets than you actually have.
Platelets are small cell fragments in your blood that help form blood clots to stop the bleeding when you're injured. You'll usually get a platelet count as part of a routine blood test called a complete blood count. Your platelet levels can be either lower or higher than normal. Abnormal platelet levels can cause symptoms such as too many blood clots or excessive bleeding, although you may not have any symptoms at all. Whether you need treatment and the type of treatment will depend on what is causing your low or high platelet counts and how it's affecting you.
How do you raise your platelet levels when you have a low platelet count?
Treatment for low platelet levels depends on what caused it, the severity of your symptoms, and how much they affect your daily life. If your low platelet count is caused by a medicine you're taking, your doctor will likely change your prescription to a different one. That may be enough to raise your platelet levels. Your doctor can also try a few prescriptions to help raise your levels, such as:
If medicines don't work, your doctor may recommend a blood or platelet transfusion or surgery to remove your spleen (splenectomy), which may help raise your levels.
Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia Explained
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) occurs when turbulence in the blood destroys red blood cells. This leads to symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath. Certain treatments are available.
Treatment for MAHA can range from blood transfusion to the use of antibiotics.
This article details the diagnosis and treatment of MAHA, including its involvement in hemolytic uremic syndrome, causes, and symptoms.
MAHA is a condition that involves the destruction of too many red blood cells. This process is known as "hemolysis."
MAHA occurs when excessive movement of the blood causes hemolysis. This results in the formation of schistocytes, which are fragments of red blood cells. Whole red blood cells have a round shape, whereas schistocytes are triangle- or helmet-shaped.
Triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Several health conditions involve MAHA. One of these is hemolytic uremic syndrome.
As a 2023 review explains, hemolytic uremic syndrome involves the following triad of conditions:
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia vs. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Instead, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) characterizes DIC as a blood clotting disorder.
In its first phase, overacting clotting mechanisms cause blood clotting throughout the body. In its second phase, bleeding develops because the body has overused blood clotting resources, such as platelets and clotting factors.
Autoimmune conditions that can cause microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Systemic rheumatic diseases are autoimmune conditions that cause long-term (chronic) inflammation. Some such conditions can cause MAHA. These include:
Drugs that can cause microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Some recreational drugs can cause MAHA. Plus, research has shown that some medications can cause MAHA. These include:
Symptoms of anemia include:
Other symptoms of MAHA depend on its underlying cause or accompanying disease. For instance, researchers have documented the following symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome:
Anyone with symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome requires urgent medical attention.
The treatment for MAHA depends on its underlying causes. For example, research supports the use of the following treatments for hemolytic uremic syndrome:
Doctors may recommend similar MAHA treatments for people with cancer. One difference is that in people with cancer, certain antivirals and antibiotics may be more appropriate.
Because MAHA is a blood disorder, doctors can diagnose it with blood tests. However, research shows that it is also important to diagnose the cause or underlying condition of MAHA. These include the following tests:
What is the life expectancy of someone with hemolytic anemia?
The life expectancy for people with MAHA varies depending on its causes and other related conditions. For instance, in the context of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, the post-treatment mortality rate is 10% to 15%.
What is the most common cause of hemolytic anemia?
Scientists are uncertain about the most common cause of hemolytic anemia.
MAHA is when too much blood movement destroys red blood cells, causing schistocytes. This can arise in the context of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a triad of conditions that also involve thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury.
Blood and stool tests can help to diagnose both MAHA and its causes. Symptoms are similar to those of anemia, alongside those of the accompanying conditions.
Doctors can help treat MAHA with fluid replacements, blood transfusions, and antibodies.
227 A Low Platelet Count Is Associated With Treatment Failurein Preterm Infants Treated With Ibuprofen For Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that platelet count (PLTc) and function have an important role in promoting spontaneous closure of the PDA in animal models. Aimto evaluate whether response to ibuprofen in premature infants with PDA is influenced by PLTc.
Methods: All infants with GA ≤ 28wks born in our unit between 1/1/2007 and 31/12/2009 were retrospectively studied. Exclusion criteria were: congenital malformations, death within 48 hrs and outborn. All infants had echocardiographic evaluation in 1st DoL. Patients with a hemodynamically significant PDA (HsPDA) were treated with a standard course of ibuprofen. GA, BW, antenatal steroids, gender, type of ventilatory support were analyzed along with PLTc before and after treatment. Associations with HsPDA and treatment response were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results: Data from 130 out of 162 newborns (GA 26.2w±1.5, BW 851.2±293g) were analysed. 117 patients showed a PDA at first evaluation. 88 newborns were treated with ibuprofen for HsPDA; after treatment 60 patients had a closed ductus (responders) while 28 were non-responders. A lower PLTc was observed in infants with HsPDA but difference was not statistically significant. Among treated infants, non-responders had a lower GA, were more likely mechanically ventilated and had a PLT significantly lower than responders (111.000/ÎĽl vs. 184.000/ÎĽl, p=0,001). In the multivariate analysis only invasive ventilation and low PLTc were independent factors for treatment failure.
Conclusion: A low PLTc increases the risk of treatment failure of PDA. Further studies are needed to evaluate the prognostic and therapeutic implications of this observation.
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