Abnormal platelet count can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'needs attention' to 'critical'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose abnormal platelet count, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Stress | 96% | Confirm |
Lupus (SLE) | 24% | Unlikely |
Hepatitis | 2% | Ruled out |
Aplastic Anemia | 0% | Ruled out |
HIV/AIDS | 0% | Ruled out |
Platelet count (PLT). Unit: x10^3/uL or x10^9/L
Possible responses:
→ Don't know→ Under 100 → 100 to 149 → 150 to 450 (normal) → Over 450 |
Lupus is suggested if thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count of under 100,000 platelets per cubic millimeter) is detected in the absence of drugs that are known to induce it.
Hepatitis C may cause or contribute to a secondary ITP.