Neonatal Thrombocytopenia: Etiology and Diagnosis.

Abstract

Neonatal thrombocytopenia has a broad range of possible etiologies. In this review, an asymptomatic newborn infant was found to have severe thrombocytopenia on laboratory testing for limited sepsis evaluation. The differential diagnosis for thrombocytopenia in the newborn period is discussed, along with recommendations for initial evaluation and follow up of isolated thrombocytopenia in an otherwise well-appearing infant. The clinician should be aware of findings associated with unusual causes of thrombocytopenia that should prompt additional evaluation in the nursery or in the general pediatrician's office. In this illustrative case, a high index of suspicion allowed early diagnosis of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and prompt curative therapy by stem cell transplant.

• Authors: Laura Sillers, Charles Van Slambrouck, Gabrielle Lapping-Carr
• Journal: Pediatric annals (Pediatr Ann) Vol. 44 Issue 7 Pg. e175-80 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1938-2359 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26171707 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Chemical References

• Antigens, Human Platelet
• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein

Topics

• Antigens, Human Platelet (blood)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Gestational Age
• Humans
• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous (therapeutic use)
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Mutation
• Platelet Count
• Platelet Transfusion
• Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune (blood, diagnosis, etiology)
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (diagnosis, therapy)
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (genetics)