Antonio Paul: When a Low Platelet Count Does Not Mean Weak Clotting
Antonio Paul, Head of ACTIMoS- Advanced Center for Transplant Immunology and Molecular Science, shared a post on LinkedIn:
”Platelets: 80,000/µL.
Chronic liver disease.
Aneurysmal intracranial bleed.
Multiple platelet transfusions already given.
The platelet count remained low.
But should we keep transfusing just to correct the number?
Viscoelastic hemostatic assay gave us the functional picture:
- R: 6.5 min — normal clot initiation
- MA: 58.1 mm — preserved overall clot strength
- CFF-MA: 23.3 mm — adequate fibrin contribution
- LY30: 0 percent — no evidence of increased fibrinolysis
In CLD, thrombocytopenia may partly reflect hypersplenism and splenic sequestration.
Despite a platelet count of 80,000/µL, this patient’s functional clot strength was preserved.
Integrating TEG with the clinical picture helped us avoid another empiric platelet transfusion merely to chase a number.
Complex clinical scenarios remind us why functional assays matter.
Numbers tell us what is low.
Functional assays help tell us whether haemostasis is actually impaired.
Platelet count does not equal clot strength
In Patient Blood Management, sometimes better testing guides us not only what to transfuse — but when not to transfuse.”
Stay updated with Hemostasis Today.
-
Oct 26, 2026, 03:43Shazmah Shaikh: How Laser Atherectomy Helps Clear Blocked Arteries
-
Oct 26, 2026, 03:28Priya Prasad: Protecting Donors and Recipients Through Blood Safety
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:55Giacomo Buso: LIPLEG Provides the Strongest Evidence to Date on Lipedema Treatment
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:54Nicholas Lee: ASH Program Connects Trainees and Faculty With Mentors for Career Development
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:53World Thrombosis Day Raises Blood Clot Awareness at Italian Airports
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:49Tahsim Anwar: A Six-Year Analysis of Adverse Events in Therapeutic Apheresis
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:37William Wallace: More than 1 in 3 People with Parkinson’s Were Low in B6
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:36Andrés Felipe Escobar González: Individualized Treatment Strategies for HMB in BDUC
-
Oct 25, 2026, 19:34Christophe Nougier: Returning to Burundi for the WFH-Supported Twinning Project