Platelet transfusions are life-saving in many situations, but what do you do when they might NOT be helpful?

Dr. Ruchika Goel Image

Dr. Ruchika Goel

Platelets have been used to save the lives of patients with low platelet counts for decades. For the most part, they are considered a safe and effective means to correct the problem of a patient not having enough platelets of their own.

But What About ITP, TTP, and HIT?

Despite the truth of the statements above, we have wondered for decades about whether or not platelets should be given to patients with certain diseases where their platelets are being removed from circulation. Patients with those diseases, most famously ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura), TTP (Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura), and HIT (Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia), might not respond at all to platelets. More concerning, some of those patients might actually be harmed by platelet transfusion!

Let’s Go to the Data

My guest in this episode, Dr. Ruchika Goel, looked carefully at US data on platelet transfusion in ITP, TTP, and HIT, and she has some insights that might change the way you transfuse these patients.

Dr. Ruchika Goel Image

Dr. Ruchika Goel

Platelets have been used to save the lives of patients with low platelet counts for decades. For the most part, they are considered a safe and effective means to correct the problem of a patient not having enough platelets of their own.

But What About ITP, TTP, and HIT?

Despite the truth of the statements above, we have wondered for decades about whether or not platelets should be given to patients with certain diseases where their platelets are being removed from circulation. Patients with those diseases, most famously ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura), TTP (Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura), and HIT (Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia), might not respond at all to platelets. More concerning, some of those patients might actually be harmed by platelet transfusion!

Let’s Go to the Data

My guest in this episode, Dr. Ruchika Goel, looked carefully at US data on platelet transfusion in ITP, TTP, and HIT, and she has some insights that might change the way you transfuse these patients.

092 ITP image

About My Guest:

Dr. Ruchika Goel is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Simmons Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pathology in the Division of Transfusion Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. In addition, she serves as the Medical Director of ImpactLife, formerly known as the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center.

Dr. Goel is a practicing hematologist/oncologist as well as a transfusion medicine physician, and she is actively engaged in research in Big Data applications in Transfusion Medicine and Pediatric and Neonatal Transfusions. She is the current chair of the Pediatric Subgroup of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) and a participating member of the AABB Standards committee. She also serves as an invited consultant for REDS IV-pediatric longitudinal studies.

Dr. Goel has multiple accolades and awards to her name including the AABB Fenwal Annual Transfusion Medicine Scholarship Award, Paul J Stranjford Young Investigator award by the American College of Laboratory Physician and Scientists and has also received international recognition with the ISBT 2016 Harold Gunsen fellowship award.

Dr. Goel has over 70 peer reviewed publications to her name including key first author publications in some leading journals including JAMA, JAMA Surgery, Blood, Transfusion and Vox Sanguinis and has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally on topics of her research focus.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this episode are those of my guest and I alone, and do not reflect those of the organizations with which either of us is affiliated. Neither Dr. Goel nor I have any relevant financial disclosures.

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Music Credit

Music for this episode includes “Cuando te invade el temor” and “Reflejo,” both by Mar Virtual via the Free Music Archive. Click the image below for permissions and license details.
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