Platelet auto-antibodies in septicaemic patients

Thrombocytopenia associated with acute Septicaemia has been reported which may be due to Disseminated Intravasscular Coagulation (DIC), but has also been reported even without any evidence of it. An immunological cause has been suggested to explain this observation. The present study involved the investigation of 50 patients with clinical and bacteriological evidence of Septicaemia. By Direct Platelet Suspension Immunofluorescence Test (PSIFT) antiplatelet antibodies were detected in 54% patients with septicaemia and 67.5% with those having thrombocytopenia. The septicaemic patients were treated with antibiotics (mean 14 days). After successful treatment, i.e., when there was no bacteriological evidence of septicaemia, there was in increase in the platelet count (> 150 x 10(9)/L) with a corresponding fall in "PSIFT" positivity in 17 cases (P < 0.001). Hence an immunological process is considered to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in these patients with septicaemia.