Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Microfluidics in Assessing Platelet Function
Published on: November 8, 2024
Pre-transfusion platelet counts and bleeding in very low birth weight infants
Elizabeth F Stone1, Rebecca Birch2, Jeanne E Hendrickson3,4
1Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. es2024@cumc.columbia.edu.
Objective:
Platelet transfusion thresholds for very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) infants vary widely, and the role of bleeding on platelet transfusion thresholds is uncertain.
Study Design:
This observational birth cohort study of VLBW infants born in 7 hospitals across the US examined pre-transfusion platelet counts in infants with and without bleeding who received at least 1 platelet transfusion in the first 3 weeks of life using mixed effect linear regression models.
Results:
Of the 210 transfused infants, most (76%) had bleeding; intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) was the most common (61%) bleeding type. Pre-transfusion platelet counts were not different among infants with or without bleeding diagnoses (56.3 vs 58.5 × 103/µL, respectively; P = 0.7). However, infants with severe IVH had higher platelet counts (68.9 × 103/µL) compared to the entire cohort (53.5 × 103/µL, P = 0.01).
Conclusion:
Infants with or without bleeding diagnoses had similar pre-transfusion platelet counts; infants with severe IVH had higher pre-transfusion platelet counts.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Disorders of Hemostasis
Thromboembolic Disorders
Two factors primarily cause thromboembolic conditions.
01:22Formation of the Platelet Plug
As the injured blood vessel contracts, endothelial cells undergo contraction, revealing collagen fibers in the basement membrane and underlying connective tissue. Furthermore, the plasma membrane of endothelial cells becomes adhesive, preparing the site for platelet adhesion. Platelets...
02:45Blood Transfusion and Agglutination
History
The history of blood transfusion dates back to the 17th century, when early attempts were made in animals. In 1818 James Blundell, a British doctor, performed the first successful human blood transfusion. Later in 1900, Karl...
01:18Structure and Function of Platelets
Platelets are continually replenished, circulating in the bloodstream for 9-12 days before being removed by phagocytes, primarily in the spleen. A microliter of circulating blood contains between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets, with...