[The value of reticulated platelet counts in diagnosing thrombocytopenic disorders].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the significance of reticulated platelets (RPs) in the diagnosis of thrombocytopenic disorders and the relationship between RPs and the proliferative degree of megakaryocyte (MK) in bone marrow.


METHODS
With thiazole orange as a fluorescent dye, RPs were measured by analyzing the RNA content in platelets with flow cytometry and the percent and absolute counts of RPs were calculated.


RESULTS
(1) The percent and absolute counts of the RPs in a normal group were (8.4 +/- 2.5)% and (16.8 +/- 6.8) x 10(9)/L respectively. (2) As compared with the normal group, the patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and hypersplenism had a significantly high percent and low absolute counts of RPs (P < 0.01). In patients with aplastic anemia, both the percent and absolute counts of RPs were at low levels (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). There was no difference of RP percentage between the patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes and normal controls, but the absolute counts of RPs in the former was significantly lower than that in the latter. There was no difference between the percent and absolute counts of RPs among ITP patients with different proliferative degree of MK in bone marrow. (3) In all the diseases mentioned above, it was shown that RP percentage returned to normal in the effective cases after treatment, but no such change was found in the ineffective cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Reticulated platelet counts contribute to the aetiology determination of the thrombocytopenia. It is also a valuable diagnostic method and a monitoring marker. There is no relationship between reticulated platelet counts and the counts of MK proliferation in bone marrow.
Guo
Xiao-jun
XJ
Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing Medical College, Jiaxing, Zhejiang 314000, China. zzxgxj@mail.jxptt.zj.cn
Shao
Ping-yang
PY
Zhu
Pei-lin
PL
Zhu
Jian-jun
JJ
Wang
Hui-fang
HF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000473:pathology*