Teaching Pearls:

• Categories of Thrombocytopenia
  • Underproduction
  • Over-destruction/consumption
  • Splenic Sequestration
    • ~About 1/3 of the platelets reside in the spleen. The larger the spleen, the higher percentage of platelets that stay in the spleen.
  • Pseudothrombocytopenia
• Etiologies for Thombocytopenia + the following:
  • Fever
    • Infection, sepsis, DI
  • Hepatosplenomegaly
    • Liver disease, hypersplenism, lymphoma
  • Neuro findings
    • TTP/HUS, Vit B12 deficiency, Cu deficiency
  • Lymphadenopathy
    • Infection, lymphoma, malignancy
  • Thrombosis
    • HIT, APLS, PNH
  • No other findings
    • ITP, drug induced thrombocytopenia, HIV, HCV, MDS