title: Prevention of worsening of severe thrombocytopenia after red cell transfusions by the use of leucocyte-depleted blood.
abstract: Platelet counts were measured before and after red cell transfusions in 30 patients with anaemia and severe thrombocytopenia resulting from haematological diseases. There was a mean reduction of 1.1 x 109/l (P = 0.43) in the platelet count after transfusions of 2-3 units of leucocyte-depleted red cell concentrates (20 patients). However, there was a mean reduction of 2.7 x 109/l (P = 0.03), approximately 10%, in the platelet count after transfusions of non-leucocyte-depleted red cell concentrates (10 patients). The findings suggest that the forthcoming introduction of universal leucocyte depletion of red cell concentrates will minimize the worsening of thrombocytopenia that occurs in severely thrombocytopenic patients receiving standard non-leucocyte-depleted red cell concentrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals, ICRF Medical Statistics Group, Institute of Health Sciences, National Blood Service, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuh
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Atoyebi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Littlewood
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatton
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradburn
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000628:therapy*