title: Transient appearance of EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia in a postoperative patient with sepsis: A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia (EDTA-PTCP) is a rare phenomenon characterized by spuriously low platelet counts when EDTA reacts with harvested blood. However, to the best of our knowledge, only two cases involving EDTA-PTCP in postoperative patients with sepsis have been reported. Here, we describe a case of EDTA-PTCP that appeared transiently in a postoperative patient with sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 68-year-old female patient underwent laparoscopic tension-free hernioplasty for incisional hernia. Postoperatively, the patient developed very low platelet counts. The number of platelets in this patient had not improved following treatment with fresh-frozen plasma and platelet transfusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The diagnosis of EDTA-PTCP was confirmed from the discovery of platelet aggregation in peripheral blood smears.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used sodium citrate-anticoagulated blood samples for platelet counting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient's platelet counts returned to normal with the use of sodium citrate-anticoagulated blood samples. Furthermore, the phenomenon of EDTA-PTCP disappeared when the patient was cured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phenomenon of low platelet counts in postoperative patients with sepsis should be considered as possible EDTA-PTCP. In addition, peripheral blood smears and the use of sodium citrate anticoagulant are effective and valuable methods that can help identify EDTA-PTCP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhongyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Liyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Yinyin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wu-Ning
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001791:Blood Platelet Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D010976:Platelet Count; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D004492:Edetic Acid