[Accuracy of platelet counting by optical and impedance methods in patients with Thrombocytopaenia and Microcytosis]

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Obtaining accurate platelet counts in microcytic blood samples is challenging, even with the most reliable automated haematology analysers. The CELL-DYN[TM] Sapphire [Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois, USA] analyser uses both optical density and electronic impedance methods for platelet counting. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of optical density and electrical impedance methods in determining true platelet counts in thrombocytopaenic samples with microcytosis as defined by low mean corpuscular volume [MCV] of red blood cells. Additionally, the impact of microcytosis on platelet count accuracy was evaluated