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What Causes Low Platelet Count?

Posted on Mon, 28 Jul 2014

Question: My Brother is suffering from the low platelets count ?
Dr. Advice him for the BMA test but it was unsuccessful.
Can you please let me know will it be serious results of BMA or whatever will come from the report it will be handeled ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
There are numerous simple causes

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for your query.

There are many cause for low platelet count, I do not think bone marrow is the only test which can be relied on to know the cause. Also, the bone marrow causes are least ones.

Need not worry, most of the bone marrow conditions which lead to low platelet count can be handled.

Wish you good health.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (7 hours later)

Can it be happened due to the Deficiency of Vitamin B12 ?
But as of now Dr. was unable to handled Bone Marrow,
So do we go for BM or we can look for another test ?

What will you suggest in this case ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (2 days later)

Brief Answer:
Bone marrow test can be repeated

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for writing back.

No, vit B12 deficiency does not cause low platelet count. Viral fever is the commonest cause.

Its better to rule out bone marrow related conditions first.

Identification of auto-antibodies and antibodies against known viral infections would be the next step.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (8 days later)

Hi Sir,

Thanks for your reply.

Bone Marrow has been done and if is found that my brother has hypocellular bone marrow and Dr. diagnosed it as Aplastic Aneamia and told us that it is a severe disease.

Can you please help us what should we do in this case ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (20 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Bone marrow transplant

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for the information.

I am sorry that he is being diagnosed with aplastic anemia.

First, investigations to ascertain if it is autoimmune has to be done.

Treatment involves immune modulators like
antithymocyte globulin (ATG)
cyclophosphamide
cyclosporin etc

if the above medications fail then Bone marrow transplant can be effective.

Wish you good health.

regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (4 hours later)

Thanks for your reply.

can you please tell me which treatment is better and what are the success rate for the following treatment or where should we go?

What are precaution we need to take ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Consult a Hematologist

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

You may have to take him to a hematologist.

The best medication which suits him has to be decided based on his response to the same. First he has to be put on trial immunomodulators.

I suggest him to avoid pain killer medications like NSAIDs ad sulfonamide antibiotics. They tend to reduce the cell count.

regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (9 hours later)

Ok. Thanks for your reply...

We take him to the Hemotologist Dr. Dharma Choudhary(B L Kapur Hospital).
He was suggesting him for the BMT as seeing his age.

Can you please tell me after the BMT, how much life will be increased and for how much time he will take the medicine ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Its Subjective

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

There is no defined idea on the survival or progress after BMT. It is more often subjective, some do accept the BMT well but some reject or do not respond well to the treatment.

I would ask you to wait and watch his progress after the BMT.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (11 hours later)

Thanks for your reply Dr. XXXXXXX

Yesterday HLA report came and it is not match.

Now I thing we have the only option for ATG.

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (3 days later)

Brief Answer:
Yes,

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Sorry to hear that the HLA did not match.

All the best with the ATG.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (11 hours later)

Can you please let me know the best hospital where this disease can be treated in terms of result and cost ?

Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (18 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Details needed

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Please provide details on your locality. I shall advice a better hospital nearest to you.

Regards,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar