title: [Value of reticulated platelet counts in identifying thrombocytopenia aetiology].
abstract: This study was to evaluate the role of reticulated platelets (RP) assay in the distinguishing the different causes of thrombocytopenia. The RP and immature platelet fraction (IPF) were stained by a nucleic acid-specific dye oxazine, and assayed by XE-2100 blood cell counter with an upgraded software in the reticulocyte/optical platelet channel. RP and IPF were measured in 137 thrombocytopenic patients and 187 normal controls. The results showed that the mean IPF was 1.07% in normal controls, and 10.28% in 109 patients with immune thrombocytopenia (p<0.01), RP absolute value in ITP group was higher than that in control group, there was significant difference between them (p=0.036). The mean IPF was 10.47% in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia (PITP), and 9.45% in patients with secondary ITP (SITP). There was no significant difference of IPF between PITP and SITP group (p=0.635), but IPF in these 2 groups both were significantly higher than the normal controls. The mean IPF in 28 thrombocytopenic patients with hypocellular marrow was 2.37%. There was no difference of IPF between thrombocytopenic patients with hypocellular marrow and the normal controls (p=0.252), but the absolute counts of RP in the former was significantly lower than in the latter (p<0.05). The IPF cut-off for a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia with hypercellular marrow was 2.45%, the sensitivity was 92.7% and specificity 94.1%. It is concluded that the whole-blood IPF measurement by XE-2100 blood cell counter is an useful screening test to differentiate patients with thrombocytopenia of different causes. An IPF above 2.45% has both a high sensitivity and specificity for a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia with a hypercellular marrow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Peking Union Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yong-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bao-Lai
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Zu-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ren-Chi
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shu-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D055815:Young Adult