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What could be the cause of not enough platelets? Is the condition related to some serious disease? What is the role of platelets in the human body? Is it worth repeating the test? The question is answered by the drug. Paweł Żmuda-Trzebiatowski.
What do low platelets mean?
Good day. The last results of the blood tests came out to me platelets below normal. It happened not for the first time, a year ago when I did blood tests, it was also similar, but then platelets they were only slightly below par, and now that figure was much more lowered. What do platelets below normal mean? Could this be a sign of some disease?
I remember from school that platelets are probably related to blood clotting, although I did not observe any problems in this matter. I would say that maybe there was some error in the study, although it came out for the second time, so I can’t underestimate it. What do platelets below normal mean? Is this a sign of some disease or deficiency? And does this result mean that I may be waiting for some treatment?
I don’t know what I should do now, whether to go to my GP with these results or look for a specialist privately. I would be grateful for your advice. Thank you in advance.
The doctor explains what low platelets mean
Sir, causes of thrombocytopenia, and so low blood platelet count (norm 150-400 thousand / microlitre) can be divided into two groups. The first is due to the excessive destruction of platelets, and the second is due to decreased platelet production. Excessive destruction of thrombocytes (platelets) occurs in autoimmune diseases, in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, in the course of haemolytic anemia or in proliferative diseases.
Often, newborns experience excessive destruction of platelets, for example in the course of prematurity or hemolytic disease of newborns. Much more often there is thrombocytopenia resulting from decreased production. Most often it is the result of damage to the bone marrow in which the production of platelets takes place. Bone marrow damage may occur as a result of the use of myelotoxic drugs or excessive alcohol consumption as well as excessive exposure to ionizing radiation.
Apart from physico-chemical damage to the bone marrow, one should remember about proliferative diseases of the hematopoietic system, including leukemia, myeloma and myelofibrosis. Apart from primary tumors, metastases of other tumors to the bone marrow disrupt the formation of platelets by displacing normal cells.
Congenital diseases such as Alport syndrome and Fanconi anemia are also responsible for abnormal thrombocyte production, but these are very rare causes. In your case, I suggest performing another morphology and with the results go to your family doctor for further diagnosis.
– Lek. Paweł Żmuda-Trzebiatowski
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