‘ In - Oxine Platelet Survivals in Thrombocytopenic Infants

Thrombocytopenia is a common occurrence (20%) in sick neonates. but the causes have not been well studied. In this report we demonstrate that thrombocytopenia in the neonate is characterized by increased platelet destruction as shown by shortened homologous “In-oxine-labeled platelet life spans. Thirty-one prospectively studied thrombocytopenic neonates were investigated by measuring the “In-labeled platelet life span. platelet-associated lgG (PAIgG). and coagulation screening tests. In every infant, the thrombocytopenia was shown to have a destructive component since the mean platelet life span was significantly shortened to 65 ± 6 (mean ± SEM) hours with a range of one to 1 28 hours compared with adult values (212 ± 8; range, 140 to 260; gamma function analysis). The platelet survival was directly related to the lowest platelet count and inversely related to both the highest mean platelet volume and duration of the thrombocytopenia. In