title: Immature platelet fraction measurement is influenced by platelet size and is a useful parameter for discrimination of macrothrombocytopenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reticulated platelets (RPs) as measured using flow cytometry are useful parameters of thrombopoiesis; however, difficulties remain with standardization between laboratories. On the other hand, immature platelet fraction (IPF) measurement, as determined using an automated hematology analyzer, is simple, reproducible, and displays a good correlation with RP, although specific factors may affect its value. We previously noticed that a small proportion of patients exhibit extremely high IPF values that do not correlate with flow cytometrically measured RP.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the mechanism of the aberrant increase in IPF values of different types of macrothrombocytopenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  IPF, RP, and other platelet indexes were analyzed using samples from 15 congenital macrothrombocytopenic patients from 12 families, 150 immune thrombocytopenic patients, and 27 normal individuals. We further monitored the change in IPF values and morphology during platelet agglutination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IPF values were about five times higher in MYH9 disorders (IPF 48.6 ± 1.9%) and about twice as high in other macrothrombocytopenias (IPF 18.4 ± 2.1%) than in immune thrombocytopenic patients with similar platelet counts (IPF 9.2 ± 0.3%). We then examined changes in IPF values during ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid- and macroglobulinemia-induced platelet agglutination. The IPF value significantly increased in a time-dependent manner along with the formation of platelet clumps and was strongly influenced by a few tiny platelet aggregates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that IPF values are influenced by platelet size. Furthermore, IPF could be a useful and convenient parameter for screening of macrothrombocytopenia, which presents with a disproportionately high IPF value.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Yukako
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunishima
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danbara
authors.forename: Ryouichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatomi
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashihara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Giant platelet syndrome with thrombocytopenia; Immature platelet fraction; Immune thrombocytopenia