Transient EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia in a patient with sepsis.
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia (EDTA-PTCP) is the phenomenon of a spurious low platelet count due to antiplatelet antibodies that cause platelet clumping in blood anticoagulated with EDTA. We describe a case of EDTA-PTCP that appeared transiently with the development of sepsis. A 50-year-old man underwent Bentall's aortic root replacement for acute aortic dissection with aortic insufficiency. Postoperatively the patient suffered paralytic ileus followed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus enteritis and septicemia with endotoxemia. EDTA-PTCP appeared with the development of sepsis, and disappeared with its resolution. To avoid incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate treatment, EDTA-PTCP should always be considered as a possible cause of reported low platelet counts, even in patients with sepsis.
Mori
M
M
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama-machi, Japan. mmori@oita-med.ac.jp
Kudo
H
H
Yoshitake
S
S
Ito
K
K
Shinguu
C
C
Noguchi
T
T
D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000601:surgery; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D004492:Edetic Acid