🩸 Thrombocytopenia Differential
Severity and bleeding risk, mechanistic classification, workup cues and emergencies (TTP/HIT/DIC) for a low platelet count. Browser-side reference.
Exclude spurious (EDTA) thrombocytopenia with a citrate recheck and smear.
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When to use
Triage thrombocytopenia after excluding a spurious result, localising the mechanism and flagging emergencies.
How it works
Severity (×10⁹/L): mild 100–150, moderate 50–100, severe 20–50, very severe < 10–20.
Key points
- Exclude spurious (EDTA) thrombocytopenia with a citrate recheck and smear.
- Schistocytes + haemolysis suggest a thrombotic microangiopathy.
- HIT: calculate the 4Ts; stop heparin and switch anticoagulant.
- Platelet transfusion may be harmful in TTP/HIT unless life-threatening bleeding.
References
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| View | Severity & risk |
|---|
→Key pointSeverity & bleeding risk (×10⁹/L)
- Mild 100–150：Usually asymptomatic, recheck on follow-up
- Moderate 50–100：Most procedures/surgery need assessment
- Severe 20–50：Increased surgical/trauma bleeding risk
| View | Emergencies |
|---|
→Key pointEmergencies
- TTP：MAHA (schistocytes + haemolysis) + platelets ↓ → urgent, do not wait for the pentad, plasma exchange
- HIT：Platelets fall > 50% / thrombosis 5–10 days after heparin → stop heparin, switch to a non-heparin anticoagulant (calculate the 4Ts)
- DIC：Consumptive (PT/aPTT ↑, fibrinogen ↓, D-dimer ↑) → treat the underlying cause
Frequently asked questions
- What is Thrombocytopenia Differential?
- Severity and bleeding risk, mechanistic classification, workup cues and emergencies (TTP/HIT/DIC) for a low platelet count. Browser-side reference.
- How is Thrombocytopenia Differential calculated? What is the core formula?
- Severity (×10⁹/L): mild 100–150, moderate 50–100, severe 20–50, very severe < 10–20.
- When is Thrombocytopenia Differential used?
- Triage thrombocytopenia after excluding a spurious result, localising the mechanism and flagging emergencies.
- What are the key clinical points for Thrombocytopenia Differential?
- Exclude spurious (EDTA) thrombocytopenia with a citrate recheck and smear. Schistocytes + haemolysis suggest a thrombotic microangiopathy. HIT: calculate the 4Ts; stop heparin and switch anticoagulant. Platelet transfusion may be harmful in TTP/HIT unless life-threatening bleeding.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Thrombocytopenia Differential?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is Thrombocytopenia Differential calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: View Severity & risk → Result: Key point Severity & bleeding risk (×10⁹/L)（Mild 100–150: Usually asymptomatic, recheck on follow-up, Moderate 50–100: Most procedures/surgery need assessment, Severe 20–50: Increased surgical/trauma bleeding risk） Inputs: View Emergencies → Result: Key point Emergencies（TTP: MAHA (schistocytes + haemolysis) + platelets ↓ → urgent, do not wait for the pentad, plasma exchange, HIT: Platelets fall > 50% / thrombosis 5–10 days after heparin → stop heparin, switch to a non-heparin anticoagulant (calculate the 4Ts), DIC: Consumptive (PT/aPTT ↑, fibrinogen ↓, D-dimer ↑) → treat the underlying cause）