title: Clinician's overview of platelet support.
abstract: In a period of 2 years, 48 patients over age 55 were treated for acute myeloblastic leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome with greater than 10% blasts. 15 patients were treated with intestine chemotherapy, requiring a mean of 48 units of platelets per course. 33 patients were treated by supportive care alone of whom 19 required a mean of 380 units of platelets each. Long term supportive care is a feasible option in elderly leukaemia. Because of dysplasia some patients bleed at a higher threshold than younger patients. A further hazard is the use of i.v. hydrocortisone to suppress transfusion reactions. Such unintentional use of steroids in patients with dysplastic neutrophils and monocytes may predispose to fungal infections.
authors.affiliation: Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Department of Haematology, U.K.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic