Thrombocytopenic episodes in patients with well-functioning renal allografts. Inverse relationship between platelet count and platelet size pointing to intermittent platelet destruction.
20 out of 50 patients with well-funcioning renal allograft displayed at least one platelet count below 110 X 10(9)/1 (mean -2 SD of controls). For estimation of platelet production during thrombocytopenic episodes, the percentage of large platelets in the peripheral blood was determined which revealed an inverse relationship (p less than 0.01) to the platelet count, indicating that these thrombocytopenias were due to increased platelet consumption. Immunosuppressive treatment as well as rejection processes could be excluded as major pathogenetic factors whereas anti-platelet autoantibodies may contribute to this phenomenon.
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology; D002102:Cadaver; D002470:Cell Survival; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003404:Creatinine; D001379:Azathioprine