Thrombocytopenia, also known as platelet deficiency, is the decrease in the number of platelets in the blood.
Thrombocytopenia can arise from various clinical situations, including diseases of the immune system, infections, vitamin deficiencies, and hereditary diseases. Small variations below the standards can be normal and do not necessarily reflect the presence of a disease.
Thrombocytopenia can be a side effect of certain medications, including some drugs used in cancer treatment.
In general, thrombocytopenia does not cause symptoms and is diagnosed only through a blood test. Symptoms, when present, may include the appearance of purple spots on the body, as well as bleeding from the gums and nose.
In some cases of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, reducing the chemotherapy dose may be sufficient to reverse the thrombocytopenia. In other cases, temporary interruption of treatment may be necessary.
Currently, there are medications that can prevent and treat thrombocytopenia by stimulating platelet production. These medications are known as hematopoietic growth factors.
Treatment of thrombocytopenia may occasionally include platelet transfusion.
