Platelets Abnormalities

 

• Thrombocytopaenia

  ↓Platelets, classified as mild (<100 x 109/L), moderate (<50 x 109/L), or severe (<20 x 109/L).

  Causes

  • Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP): acute in kids (post-infection) or chronic in adults (especially women). Primary or secondary (SLE, RA, APS, HIV, HCV). Bone marrow biopsy shows ↑megakaryocytes.
  • Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP) and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).
  • Drugs: heparin, antimalarials.
  • Infection and inflammation.
  • Pancytopenia
  • In pregnancy: gestational thrombocytopaenia (mild ↓PLT in 2nd/3rd trimester), HELLP, ITP, TTP, DIC.
  • Others: liver disease, CKD (uraemic syndrome), DIC, ↓B12 or ↓folate.

• Thrombocytosis

  ↑Platelets. Aka thrombocythaemia.

  Causes

  Primary:

  • Essential thrombocytosis.
  • Polycythaemia vera.

  Reactive:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Chronic inflammation.
  • Cancer
  • Trauma
  • Iron-deficiency.