Abstract
With the wide use of electronic blood counters which provide accurate platelet counts (PC), thrombocytosis is being observed frequently. We studied the frequency and the clinical and laboratory associations of high PC (>500k/mm3) in ambulatory pediatric patients. All PC performed during 1985 on children seen in our ER and primary care center were retrieved from the Hospital's clinical laboratory computer. Patients with Hb SS and Kawasaki diseases were excluded from analysis. 108 of 824 (13.1%) P.C. were >500k/mm3; 18 (2%) were >700k/mm3. Clinical and laboratory data from the high PC group (>500k/mm3) were compared with a randomly selected group of patients with normal PC (200-250k/mm3). Compared to the normal PC group, the high PC group was more frequently diagnosed as having “infection”; had significantly higher white blood cell and absolute neutrophil counts and higher ESR (p<0.001). High PC was also significantly more frequently associated with age <2 years (p<0.001). This study indicates that thrombocytosis is frequent in pediatric ambulatory patients. The significant association of high PC with “infection” - both bacterial and viral - suggests that platelets are an acute phase reactant, especially in children <2 yrs.old. These high PC are transient. No adverse thrombotic conseguences were recognized, even in children with PC <700k/mm3, and so no treatment is indicated.
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Heath, H., Pearson, H. ACUTTE THROMBOCYTOSIS IN AMBUTATORY PEDIATRIC PATIENTS. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 299 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00793
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00793