Alternate Names: Thrombocythemia

Causes and Risks: Platelets are cells in the blood that are essential to blood clotting. Thrombocytopenia includes disorders where there are not enough platelets, and disorders where the platelets do not function properly.

These disorders include:

• idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• primary thrombocythemia
• thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia
• drug-induced nonimmune thrombocytopenia
• acquired platelet function defect
• congenital platelet function defects
• cyclic neutropenia

Prevention: Most of the conditions associated with thrombocytopenia are not preventable. See the specific disorders.

Symptoms:

• bruising
• nosebleeds or oral bleeding
• petechial rash (pinpoint red spots)

Signs and Tests:

• CBC with platelet count
• bone marrow aspiration or biopsy
• PTT (coagulation studies)
• PT (coagulation studies)
• platelet associated antibodies
• platelet aggregation test

Treatment: Treatment depends on the specific disorder. Some will resolve without treatment, others require various treatments such as a transfusion of platelets.

Prognosis: The outcome depends on the causative disorder.

Complications:

• hemorrhage
• GI bleeding (vomiting blood or blood in the stools)

CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF YOU EXPERIENCE UNEXPLAINED BRUISING OR BLEEDING.