open access
Thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients: single center data analysis


- Students’ Scientific Society, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
open access
Abstract
Introduction: Thrombocytopenia (TP) is one of the most frequent abnormalities of hemostasis found in laboratory tests in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and most probable causes of TP in patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Material and methods: The documentation of all patients hospitalized in 2019 was analyzed retrospectively in the ICU of the university hospital. Patients diagnosed with TP at admission to the ward or during hospitalization were identified. Potential factors influencing the platelet count were analyzed.
Results: During the analyzed period, 291 patients were hospitalized. In 93 patients (32%), TP was diagnosed, including 61 patients at admission (21%), and the remaining 32 patients (11%) during hospitalization. Patients with TP had higher SAPS II, APACHE II and SOFA scores than patients without TP (p <0.001 for all). Mortality in patients with TP was twice as high as in patients without TP (58% vs. 29%, p <0.001). In 18 patients (6%), only one cause of TP was potentially identified, while in 39 patients (13%), four or more factors that could potentially cause TP were identified.
Conclusions: Thrombocytopenia is a relatively common problem in the critically ill population, but due to the challenges in differential diagnosis, a reliable assessment of the causes of its occurrence is difficult.
Abstract
Introduction: Thrombocytopenia (TP) is one of the most frequent abnormalities of hemostasis found in laboratory tests in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and most probable causes of TP in patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Material and methods: The documentation of all patients hospitalized in 2019 was analyzed retrospectively in the ICU of the university hospital. Patients diagnosed with TP at admission to the ward or during hospitalization were identified. Potential factors influencing the platelet count were analyzed.
Results: During the analyzed period, 291 patients were hospitalized. In 93 patients (32%), TP was diagnosed, including 61 patients at admission (21%), and the remaining 32 patients (11%) during hospitalization. Patients with TP had higher SAPS II, APACHE II and SOFA scores than patients without TP (p <0.001 for all). Mortality in patients with TP was twice as high as in patients without TP (58% vs. 29%, p <0.001). In 18 patients (6%), only one cause of TP was potentially identified, while in 39 patients (13%), four or more factors that could potentially cause TP were identified.
Conclusions: Thrombocytopenia is a relatively common problem in the critically ill population, but due to the challenges in differential diagnosis, a reliable assessment of the causes of its occurrence is difficult.
Keywords
thrombocytopenia, critical care, intensive care unit


Title
Thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients: single center data analysis
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original research article
Pages
345-349
Published online
2022-10-03
Page views
911
Article views/downloads
84
DOI
10.5603/AHP.a2022.2045
Bibliographic record
Acta Haematol Pol 2022;53(5):345-349.
Keywords
thrombocytopenia
critical care
intensive care unit
Authors
Magdalena Dziech
Katarzyna Musiałkiewicz
Michał P. Pluta
Łukasz J. Krzych


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