title: Thrombocytopenia and its related factors: a hospital-based, cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to explore the association between thrombocytopenia and its related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study. We retrospectively analysed the medical records of all patients who received periodic health examinations at a medical centre located at Taichung in Taiwan between 2000 and 2004. In all, 5585 subjects were included for further analysis. A complete physical examination, laboratory survey and abdominal ultrasonography were performed on each subject. The t-test, chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects consisted of 3123 men (55.9%) and 2462 women (44.1%). The mean age was 49.4 +/- 12.3 years (range, 20 to 87). The overall prevalence of thrombocytopenia was found to be 0.5%, higher in men than in women (0.6% vs 0.4%, P = 0.504). After controlling for the other covariates, multivariate logistic regression analysis exhibited that the factors significantly related to thrombocytopenia were increasing age (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.004-1.08), anti-HCV positive (OR, 5.24; 95% CI, 2.08-13.20), liver cirrhosis (OR, 7.93; 95% CI, 2.28-27.62), and splenomegaly (OR, 18.86; 95% CI, 6.86-51.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is advisable to further check the hepatic status, if thrombocytopenia is noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Ching Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hsueh Chou
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Kuan Fu
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yen Miao
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Chiu Shong
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tsann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies