[Investigation and management of patients presenting with thrombocytosis]

Thrombocytosis is a common finding when performing a blood count. It is often consecutive to an underlying condition and then does not lead to thrombotic complications. If a reactive thrombocytosis is eliminated, thrombocytosis is primitive, rarely hereditary and most often associated with hematological malignancies. Essential thrombocythemia must be recognized, by eliminating the differential diagnoses that are myelodysplastic syndromes associated with thrombocytosis and other myeloproliferative disorders. The treatment is based on the prevention of thrombotic risk and the possible introduction of a cytoreductive therapy. Life expectancy is close to that of the general population and mainly depends on the occurrence of myelofibrosis or transformation to acute myeloid leukemia.