Pseudothrombocytopenia: a report of a new method to count platelets in a patient with EDTA‐ and temperature‐independent antibodies of the IgM type

Abstract

Pseudothrombocytopenia is usually associated with blood specimens anticoagulated with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or other anticoagulants. It may be caused by temperature-independent, EDTA-dependent antibodies of the immunoglobulin-M (IgM) type. Here a patient with EDTA-independent and temperature-independent pseudothrombocytopenia mediated by IgM or IgM-containing immune complex is reported, and a reliable method is described for a proper counting of platelets in such cases.

Comparison of the influence of EDTA-K3 and sodium citrate on haematology analysis in healthy dogs

“…In patients with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, in which gpIIb/IIIa is not present on the surface of the platelets, agglutination in blood samples with EDTA or citrate has not been observed, what confirms the cold antibodies hypothesis (Van der Meer et al 2002). In many cases pseudoleucocytosis is associated with EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia, as a spurious leucocytes measurement.…”

EDTA-Dependent Pseudothrombocytopenia and Unnecessary Transfusion in a Patient with Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

“…Kan tüpünde trombosit kümelenmesini engellemek üzere sitrat, sodyum okzalat, kanamisin, teofilin, heparin ve paraformaldehid + sitrat kullanılmıştır (12)(13)(14). Ancak EDTA'ya bağlı psö-dotrombositopenili hastaların bir kısmında sitrat, okzalat ve kanamisinle de trombosit kümelenmesinin engellenemediği-ni bildiren yayınlar vardır (7,(13)(14)(15).…”

Is this immune thrombocytopenic purpura?

“…More than 80–90% of children with acute ITP do not have serious bleeding problems despite very low platelet counts and do not require treatment 30 – 33. If bleeding is occasional and not having a significant impact on quality of life (mild/moderate severity), then management is generally supportive.…”