[Frequency and pathogenis of thrombocytopenia in cardiac failure]

In 395 consecutively investigated patients with cardiac failure of varying aetiologythe platelet ocurt in venous blood was less than 100 000/mm(3) in 5.3% and below the 2s devaition (less than 136 000/mm (3)) in 19.2. The average platelet count of the whole group was 197 500 +/- 70 800/mm (3) which was significantly lower (P less than 0.001) than in normal controls (n = 128). In 6 patients a (51)Cr study of platelet kinetics was performed; the results support the conclusion that the faculatative thrombocytopenia in cardiac failure is mainly,but not exclusively, due to an increased uptake of platelets in the congested spleen.