title: Thrombocytopenia in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (review).
abstract: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been recognized as a new human infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Hematological changes in patients with SARS were common, including notably lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia. While the former is the result of decreases in CD4+ or CD8+ T-lymphocytes related to the onset of disease or use of glucocorticoids, the latter may involve a number of potential mechanisms. Although the development of autoimmune antibodies or immune complexes triggered by viral infection may play a significant role in inducing thrombocytopenia, SARS-CoV may also directly infect hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, megakaryocytes and platelets inducing their growth inhibition and apoptosis. Moreover, the increased consumption of platelets and/or the decreased production of platelets in the damaged lungs are a potential alternative mechanism that can contribute to thrombocytopenia in severe critical pulmonary conditions, which has been rarely revealed and will be discussed.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, The Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. yang1091@cuhk.edu.hk
authors: Mo
authors: M
authors: Yang
authors: Margaret H L
authors: MH
authors: Ng
authors: Chi Kong
authors: CK
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*