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

Abdulgabar Salama; Holger Kiesewetter; Ulrich Kalus; Kamran Movassaghi; Oliver Meyer

doi:10.1160/TH08-06-0418

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

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

¹Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

,

Holger Kiesewetter

¹Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

,

Ulrich Kalus

¹Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

,

Kamran Movassaghi

¹Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

,

Oliver Meyer

¹Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

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

Full Text

References

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