Pseudo-grey platelet syndrome: a rare artifact

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Clinical Pathology
• Diagnostic Cytology

Background:

• Routine blood examinations can reveal anomalies that require careful interpretation.
• Platelet morphology is a critical indicator in hematological diagnostics.
• Artifacts in sample collection can lead to misdiagnosis.

Observation:

• Two cases presented with pseudo-grey platelet syndrome during routine blood examination.
• Platelets from blood collected with ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) stained poorly and appeared agranular.
• This artifactual anomaly was not observed with citrate or finger-prick samples.

Findings:

• Pseudo-grey platelet syndrome is an EDTA-dependent artifact.
• The phenomenon is characterized by poorly stained, agranular platelets.
• Differential diagnosis is crucial to distinguish from true grey platelet syndrome.

Implications:

• Accurate sample collection methods are vital to avoid diagnostic errors.
• Increased awareness can improve the diagnosis of this rare artifact.
• Understanding EDTA effects on platelet morphology is important for clinical laboratories.