Platelet satellitism

Mourad, Salma de Carvalho; Takihi, Irina Y.; Sandes, Alex Freire

doi:10.5581/1516-8484.20130060

Cited by 1 publication

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“…Pseudothrombocytopenia in general is a widespread problem, present in a number of diseases, and unfortunately sometimes remains undiscovered. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to carefully identify any false thrombocytopenia and exclude all possible in vitro interference ( 21 ). According to our experience and literature, mischaracterization of the platelet count can lead to serious problems in patient’s condition, involving additional, unnecessary tests, non-invasive and invasive procedures such as bone marrow aspiration ( 22 ), surgery and blood transfusions ( 23 ), which can lead to serious life-long consequences for the patient, or even fatal outcome.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Platelet satellitism in infectious disease?

et al. 2015

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BackgroundPlatelet satellitism is a phenomenon of unknown etiology of aggregating platelets around polymorphonuclear neutrophils and other blood cells which causes pseudothrombocytopenia, visible by microscopic examination of blood smears. It has been observed so far in about a hundred cases in the world.Case subject and methodsOur case involves a 73-year-old female patient with a urinary infection. Biochemical serum analysis (CRP, glucose, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, bilirubin, sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, creatinine) and blood cell count were performed with standard methods on autoanalyzers. Serum protein fractions were examined by electrophoresis and urinalysis with standard methods on autoanalyzer together with microscopic examination of urine sediment. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood culture and urine culture tests were performed with standard methods.ResultsDue to typical pathological values for bacterial urinary infection, the patient was admitted to the hospital. Blood smear examination revealed phenomenon, which has persisted for three weeks after the disease has been cured. Blood smears with EDTA as an anticoagulant had platelet satellitism whereas the phenomenon was not observed in tubes with different anticoagulants (Na, Li-heparin) and capillary blood.DiscussionWe hypothesize that satellitism was induced by some immunological mechanism through formation of antibodies which have mediated platelets binding to neutrophil membranes and vice versa. Unfortunately we were unable to determine the putative trigger for this phenomenon. To our knowledge this is the second case of platelet satellitism ever described in Croatia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%