Thrombocytopenia is a common name for various hemorrhagic diatheses for reasons, clinical picture and pathogenesis. They are characterized by increased bleeding due to a decrease in the content of red plates in the patient’s blood. Often thrombocytopenia, or as it is also called purpura, manifests itself in women during menstruation or pregnancy (physiological).
Causes of thrombocytopenia
Basically, congenital thrombocytopenia is a side symptom of other diseases, various syndromes, such as Bernard-Soulier, Viscot-Oldchire syndromes, etc. It can also be acquired during life. As a rule, it develops with diseases such as alcoholism, Gaucher’s disease, tuberculosis, lymphomas. Most often occurs due to increased destruction of hemoglobin in the patient’s body. It can also manifest itself after a severe form of viral infection, HIV infection. There are a lot of reasons for the development of thrombocytopenia.
Symptoms of thrombocytopenia
The first signal for the development of purpura is abundant subcutaneous hemorrhages with minor injuries, blows or indentations. Bruises and a characteristic rash on the body, arms and legs often begin to appear. There is an increase in bleeding time even with minor cuts and wounds, increased bleeding of the gums. If there is a severe shortage of red blood plates in the body, then spontaneous bleeding from the nose, lungs, kidneys, uterus, etc. may begin. Profuse, uncoupled bleeding, brain hemorrhages can also begin, which can become fatal for a person.
Classification of thrombocytopenia
The simplest classification of this condition is the classification according to the degree of duration. Thrombocytopenia is divided into chronic and non-chronic (acute). Chronic lasts for more than 6 months and with it the level of red blood plates drops slowly, and the symptoms increase gradually. In acute thrombocytopenia, the level of blood platelets drops rapidly, and the symptoms appear very sharply.
Diagnosis of thrombocytopenia
At the first symptoms of increased bleeding, it is necessary to consult a hematologist. He will prescribe all the necessary tests.
The first of them is a general blood test with counting the number of platelets in the patient’s blood.
A peripheral blood smear may also be prescribed, which may reveal the presence of immature leukocytes or nucleated erythrocytes. Their presence indicates that the patient develops hemroblastosis. Such a diagnosis will require a more in-depth examination of the patient, a sternal puncture, and so on.
Ultrasound examination of the liver and spleen can also be prescribed so that the doctor can see a more complete picture of the disease. In addition, chest X-ray, immune enzyme blood test can also be performed.
Treatment
If the patient has severe bleeding, then he is prescribed platelet transfusion, aspirin and anticoagulants are excluded.
If the secondary nature of thrombocytopenia is detected in the patient, that is, its development goes along with another disease, then treatment in this case consists in the treatment of the underlying disease and symptomatic treatment of thrombocytopenia itself. But if the patient has a pronounced hemorrhagic syndrome, then he is shown immediate hospitalization and professional medical care. Patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia are shown glucocorticoid therapy, intravenous injections of immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, chemotherapy with cytostatics. In case of nonimmune thrombocytopenia, symptomatic treatment is prescribed.
