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PsuedoThrombocytopenia- fast "drops" in counts.

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15 years 5 months ago #4276 by Sorenna1
PsuedoThrombocytopenia- fast "drops" in counts. was created by Sorenna1
Hi-

I recently had a 40 point drop in platelets. I was really scared until I talked to the nurse- there can be huge lab differences and many times the platelets can clump because of the preservative (EDTA) used in the test tubes. Some other preservatives also produce this oddity.

priory.com/med/Case%20Presentation.htm

Has anyone else experienced this?

Of course, this is important because if one does not have any other symptoms but low platelets from EDTA, it could cause someone to have togo through treatment for nothing.

Incredible that they have nt corrected this in the medical field yet. Mindblowing.
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15 years 5 months ago #4280 by Bunnie
Replied by Bunnie on topic Re:PsuedoThrombocytopenia- fast "drops" in counts.
If you have ITP for any length of time and have your counts done at a draw center which then sends to a central lab, your likely to encounter at least one scare like yours. Either they draw it in the wrong color tube or it clumps if the delay before processing is too long. It's normal for me to be 10K higher when they run it immediately in the hemo's office rather than the draw station which sends to the central lab.
"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.\" — Mark Twain\\\\\\"Worry is a misuse of the imagination.\" — Dan Zadra
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15 years 5 months ago #4423 by Simon
Replied by Simon on topic Re:PsuedoThrombocytopenia- fast "drops" in counts.
With any of my patients, if I see a sudden change in a blood value, and if the patient is asymptomatic, I will always run the test again (the exception being potassium, which I willtreat before getting another blood test if it is too high).

It highlights the point that you should treat according to symptoms, and not necessarily according to counts, although I accept it is worrying when you reciev an unexpected and dramatic result.
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