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Related Experiment Videos

EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopaenia: a 12-month epidemiological study.

A Vicari1, G Banfi, P A Bonini

  • 1Department of Medicine, Istituto Scientifico S. Raffaele, Milano, Italy.

Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
|October 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopaenia (PTP) is a rare condition causing false low platelet counts due to in vitro clumping. Prompt recognition of this EDTA-dependent PTP phenomenon is crucial to prevent unnecessary medical interventions.

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Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Clinical Pathology

Background:

  • In vitro platelet clumping in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can lead to pseudothrombocytopaenia.
  • This phenomenon can be mistaken for genuine thrombocytopaenia, leading to diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the frequency and characteristics of EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopaenia (PTP) in a large patient cohort.
  • To highlight the importance of recognizing PTP to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate patient management.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 33,623 subjects over a 1-year period at a general hospital.
  • Initial screening using automated blood counts (Coulter S-Plus IV/D) for peculiar leukocyte histograms and pseudoleukocytosis.
  • Confirmation via manual platelet counts and microscopic examination of stained blood smears for platelet aggregates.

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  • Diagnosis by comparing results from EDTA-anticoagulated blood with sodium citrate-anticoagulated blood.

    • Main Results:

    • Observed frequency of EDTA-dependent PTP was 0.13% in the study population.
    • EDTA-dependent PTP was confirmed in 23 subjects (0.068%), aged 19-79 years.
    • Platelet clumping typically occurred within 60 minutes, with a longer latency in some cases.
    • Affected individuals included patients with various diseases and apparently healthy subjects.

    Conclusions:

    • EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopaenia is a rare but clinically significant laboratory finding.
    • Accurate identification of PTP is essential to prevent unnecessary diagnostic procedures and potential patient harm.
    • Routine laboratory awareness and specific confirmatory testing are key to managing this condition effectively.