Title: BBGE 035 Flash Cards

Blood Bank Guy Essentials 035: Why Give Platelets?

Q: Summarize the AABB's position on the use of prophylactic platelet transfusion for patients with thrombocytopenia due to cancer treatment.
A: AABB recommends that platelets should be transfused prophylactically to reduce the risk for spontaneous bleeding in hospitalized adult patients with therapy-induced hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia.

Q: If one is to use a threshold to trigger prophylactic platelet transfusion in patients with treatment-induced thrombocytopenia, what platelet count should be used?
A: 10,000 platelets/microliter (10K)

Q: A patient has a platelet count of 8,000/microliter, and needs a prophylactic platelet transfusion. The three products shown have the following platelet quantities: 1)2.0 x 10^11; 2) 3.2 x 10^11; and 3) 6.1 x 10^11. Which product would have the greatest impact on the immediate bleeding risk for the patient?
A: All of the above would be expected to have an equal effect, according to the PLADO study (see reference). Low, standard, and high doses of platelets (numbers 1-3, respectively) all effectively reduce the risk of major bleeding. The difference is that higher doses lead to longer intervals between transfusions.