Pseudothrombocytopenia: a report of a new method to count platelets in a patient with EDTA- and temperature-independent antibodies of the IgM type

Eur J Haematol. 2002 Oct;69(4):243-7. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2002.02680.x.

Abstract

Pseudothrombocytopenia is usually associated with blood specimens anticoagulated with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or other anticoagulants. It may be caused by temperature-independent, EDTA-dependent antibodies of the immunoglobulin-M (IgM) type. Here a patient with EDTA-independent and temperature-independent pseudothrombocytopenia mediated by IgM or IgM-containing immune complex is reported, and a reliable method is described for a proper counting of platelets in such cases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibody Specificity / immunology
  • Blood Platelets / immunology
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism
  • Edetic Acid
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Count / methods*
  • Temperature
  • Thrombocytopenia / blood*
  • Thrombocytopenia / pathology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Edetic Acid