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Toriqul Islam: EDTA-Induced Pseudothrombocytopenia
Toriqul Islam/LinkedIn
May 26, 2026, 02:58

Toriqul Islam: EDTA-Induced Pseudothrombocytopenia

Toriqul Islam, Medical Laboratory Technologist at National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital Mohakhali Dhaka , shared a post on LinkedIn:

“EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), a common anticoagulant used in blood collection tubes.

EDTA can cause a falsely low platelet count, a phenomenon known as EDTA-induced pseudothrombocytopenia.

Here is how it happens:

The Mechanism:

In some individuals, the EDTA anticoagulant triggers an immune reaction that causes platelets to clump together in the test tube.

The Lab Error:

Automated blood analyzers count these large clumps as single large platelets or white blood cells, artificially dropping the total platelet count.

The Fix:

To get an accurate count, the lab must redraw the blood using a different anticoagulant (like sodium citrate or heparin) or manually check a blood smear under a microscope to verify the clumping.”

Toriqul Islam

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