Does platelet Satellitism affect platelet count?
Platelet satellitism has some clinical importance in that it causes spurious thrombocytopenia. This was seen in both of our patients. Satellitism was, in fact, discovered in one of the patients because the platelet count was inexplicably low.
What does platelet Satellitism mean?
Platelet satellitism is a unique, uncommon, in vitro phenomenon seen in peripheral blood smears prepared from EDTA-mixed blood. This is seen in the form of platelets adhering to polymorphonuclear leucocytes imparting a rosette-like appearance. There is no definite causal association with any disease.
Why does platelet Satellitism occur?
We hypothesize that satellitism was induced by some immunological mechanism through formation of antibodies which have mediated platelets binding to neutrophil membranes and vice versa.
What is platelet fluorescence?
Subsequently, the fluorescence marker specifically labels the RNA inside the platelets, avoiding interferences with other cells or fragments of similar size. Using the forward scattered light and the fluorescence signal, the platelets are separated from red blood cells and white blood cells.
What can cause a false platelet count?
Potential causes of a falsely low platelet count include platelet activation during blood collection, undercounting of megathrombocytes,5 or pseudothrombocytopenia as a result of in vitro agglutination by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-dependent antibodies.
Can EDTA reduce platelets?
It inhibits clotting by removing or chelating calcium from the blood. EDTA most important advantage is that it does not distort blood cells, making it ideal for the most hematological tests. It is known to cause erroneous results of platelet counts by automated hematological analysers yielding low platelets counts.
What to do if there is platelet Satellitism?
If either platelet satellitism or platelet clumping is observed on the peripheral smear, the sample could be recollected using sodium citrate as the anticoagulant. Platelets can then be counted using the automated method.
What is Satellitism?
Medical Definition of satellitism : the growth of bacteria of one type in culture about colonies of another type that supply needed micronutrients or growth factors.
What does a Thrombocyte do?
Thrombocytes are pieces of very large cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes. They help form blood clots to slow or stop bleeding and to help wounds heal. Having too many or too few thrombocytes or having platelets that don’t work as they should can cause problems.
Is pseudothrombocytopenia common?
The overall incidence of pseudothrombocytopenia in hospitalized adult patients is approximately 1%, but it is less common in pediatric patients. No further evaluation or treatment is indicated for a patient documented as having a spuriously low platelet count.
What do high platelet counts mean?
Platelets are important for the body as they clump or stick together in response to injury and prevent excessive bleeding. However, an abnormally high platelet count means that clotting could happen spontaneously. Blood clots may occur anywhere in the body, but are most common in the hands, feet and brain.
What does MVP mean in a blood test?
MPV stands for mean platelet volume. Platelets are small blood cells that are essential for blood clotting, the process that helps you stop bleeding after an injury. An MPV blood test measures the average size of your platelets. The test can help diagnose bleeding disorders and diseases of the bone marrow.