Prevalence and causes of thrombocytopenia in an academic state sector laboratory in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa : research

Background. Causes of thrombocytopenia range from laboratory errors to life-threatening pathological conditions. To establish the cause, appropriate laboratory investigation is required. Objectives. To determine the prevalence and causes of platelet counts 20% of the recognised causes). Spurious thr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:South African medical journal 2015-03, Vol.105 (3), p.215-219
Main Authors: Subramony, N., Naidoo, S., Alli, N., Fourie, J., Wiggill, T., Vaughan, J.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Background. Causes of thrombocytopenia range from laboratory errors to life-threatening pathological conditions. To establish the cause, appropriate laboratory investigation is required. Objectives. To determine the prevalence and causes of platelet counts 20% of the recognised causes). Spurious thrombocytopenia, disseminated tuberculosis, aplastic anaemia, immune thrombocytopenia and malignant marrow infiltration each accounted for 5 - 10% of the causes, while malaria, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, HIV effect and liver disease were each identified in < 5% of cases. HIV status was documented in ~70% of the patients, of whom ~50% tested positive. The quality of the laboratory work-up showed differences between specialties within the hospital setting, and was poorest in the primary healthcare clinic sector. Conclusion. Thrombocytopenia is common in hospitalised patients in the Johannesburg academic state sector. Differences in the quality of the laboratory work-up emphasise the need for a standardised approach to thrombocytopenia investigation and increased awareness among clinicians.
ISSN:0256-9574
2078-5135
DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.8791