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Thromb Haemost 2008; 100(05): 762-765
DOI: 10.1160/TH08-06-0418
Rapid and Short Communication
Schattauer GmbH

Massive platelet transfusion is a rapidly effective emergency treatment in patients with refractory autoimmune thrombocytopenia

Abdulgabar Salama
1   Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
,
Holger Kiesewetter
1   Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
,
Ulrich Kalus
1   Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
,
Kamran Movassaghi
1   Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
,
Oliver Meyer
1   Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 29 June 2008

Accepted after minor revision 05 September 2008

Publication Date:
22 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

Patients with refractory autoimmune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may develop life-threatening bleeding that cannot be immediately controlled by drug administration. To date, there have been no studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy of platelet transfusion alone in such cases. Ten patients with refractory ITP and bleeding or a high bleeding risk were consecutively transfused (one unit/30 min) with apheresis platelet concentrates (APC) without the administration of new drugs. The used APCs (average 3 – 7 units) contained 2.7 × 1011 (medium) platelets and were leukodepleted (≤1 × 106 leukocytes/unit).Platelet serology was performed using standard techniques. Platelet transfusion resulted in an increase in the platelet count to 84 – 157 × 103/µl, and the cessation of bleeding in all patients without any serious adverse effects. Although platelet counts gradually decreased within a few days post-transfusion, bleeding was stopped in all cases. These findings indicate that consecutive platelet transfusion using APCs is a rapidly effective emergency treatment in patients with refractory ITP.

Keywords

Transfusion medicine - thrombocytopenia - platelet transfusion
 

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