ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia refers to a reduction in platelet count below 1.5 lakh/microliter. The presence of thrombocytopenia in a hemogram should alert the physician to identify the underlying etiology for the prompt management of the patient. Timely identification and treatment prevent bleeding manifestations, requirement of platelet transfusions/steroids and overall impact on mortality of the patients. AIM OFSTUDY:Analysis to study the etiology, bleeding manifestation, percentage of patients requiring platelet transfusion, length of hospital stay in patients with thrombocytopenia. METHODOLOGY: 100 cases thrombocytopenia both male and female were included in the study. The diagnosis was made on peripheral smear and Hemogram. RESULTS: Dengue fever was the most common cause of thrombocytopenia with 43 cases. Sepsis with 23 cases was the second commonest. Bleeding manifestations were seen in 23% of the study population.100% of the patients with platelet count less than 10,000/microlitre had bleeding manifestations. 26 patients (26%) received platelet transfusion out of which 23 were therapeutic and 3 were prophylactic transfusions. Steroid therapy was given in 11% of patients. Mortality was highest in patients with sepsis induced thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSION:This study shows that Dengue fever is the commonest diagnosis made in patients who are detected to have thrombocytopenia. One fifth of patients with platelet count less than 1,00,000/microlitre tend to have bleeding manifestation, commonest being GI bleed, petechial rash and epistaxis. Majority of the bleeding occurs with platelet count less than 10,000. The proportion of patients receiving therapeutic platelet transfusion was higher compared to prophylactic transfusion.