Thrombocythemia and pulmonary intra-alveolar coagulum in a young woman.

N INCREASED NUMBER of circulating platelets ( thrombocytosis, thrombocythemia, piastrinenlia ) Ilas been known to occur in response to a variety of nonhematobogic conditions. Thrombocythemia, a term applied to persistently increased platelet levels, is also an integral part of certain diseases primarily affecting the blood-forming organs. The authors have had the opportunity to study a young woman in the terminal phase of an illness characterized by a markedly increased number of circulating blood platelets as well as a very unusual type of lung pathology. The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical course and pertinent postmortem findings in this patient. A preliminary report of this case has been published.1 The possibility of Pneumocystis carinii infestation of the lung as well as the question of interrelationship between tile thrombocythemia and the lung pathology are considered.