Mechanisms of Thrombocytopenia in Malignant Tertian Malaria
- 2 June 1973
- Vol. 2 (5865), 515-518
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.2.5865.515
Abstract
The mechanism of thrombocytopenia in six patients with falciparum malaria has been studied. All the patients recovered after antimalarial therapy, and cerebral malaria was not a feature. Radioactive-labelled platelets and fibrinogen were injected into the patients during the phase of thrombocytopenia. In all cases recovery of injected platelets was notably subnormal, indicating excessive splenic pooling of platelets. Platelet life span was moderately shortened in all patients, and platelet turnover increased approximately two-fold. Fibrinogen catabolism was moderately increased in all patients, but coagulation tests failed to reveal evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation. The results suggest that in uncomplicated cases of malaria thrombocytopenia is the result of splenic pooling of platelets aggravated by a moderate decrease in platelet life span. In such cases thrombocytopenia is thus not the result of disseminated intravascular coagulation (D.I.C.), and heparin therapy is not indicated unless there is unequivocal ancillary evidence of D.I.C.This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Platelet life-span and sites of platelet sequestration in onyalaiBMJ, 1969
- Thrombokinetics in manJCI Insight, 1969
- Depletion of coagulation factors in drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.1967
- 125I-LABELLED FIBRINOGEN IN CEREBRAL MALARIAThe Lancet, 1966
- IMMUNE RESPONSE OF MAN TO INOCULATION WITH PLASMODIUM CYNOMOLGI AND CHALLENGE WITH P. VIVAXThe Lancet, 1966
- Pooling of platelets in the spleen: role in the pathogenesis of "hypersplenic" thrombocytopenia.JCI Insight, 1966
- Platelet Sequestration in Man. II. Immunological and Clinical Studies*JCI Insight, 1964
- THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN VIVAX MALARIAThe Lancet, 1964
- A quick and accurate method for the determination of fibronogen in plasma.1961
- Survival of Blood Platelets Labeled with Chromium5112JCI Insight, 1958