Clinical profile and laboratory findings of patients with thrombocytopenia in hospital set up: A hospital based prospective study

Introduction: Thrombocytopenia is commonly encountered in our routine clinical practice. Causes being numerous,  it poses a challenge in evaluating and treating the patients.

Objectives: To determine the causes, clinical profile and outcome of thrombocytopenia in children aged 1 month to 14 years who were admitted in our set up.

Method: This was a prospective study done on 200 patients aged 1 month to 14 years with thrombocytopenia admitted to the Institute of Medical Sciences AND SUM Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India with various complaints, from 01-08-2017 TO 01-08-2019.

Results: Fifty six (28%) children were in the 3-6 year age group. In 116 (58 %) children the thrombocytopenia was in the rainy season. Common causes of thrombocytopenia were dengue (18.5%), sepsis (16.5%) and scrub typhus (16%). Petechiae was the commonest bleeding manifestation (62%) followed by epistaxis (13.7%). Out of 32 cases of scrub typhus 23 (71.8%) had deranged liver function tests. Out of the 8 children that died, one had platelet count ≤10,000/µL, one had platelet count 10,000-20,000/µL while 3 each had platelet counts in the range of 22,000 – 50,000/µL and >50,000/µL respectively   

Conclusions: There was male predominance. The commonest age group was 3-6 years. Thrombocytopenia was more common during the rainy season. Common causes were dengue, septicaemia and scrub typhus. Common clinical presentations were fever, organomegaly, generalised myalgia, lymphadenopathy and headache. Petechiae/Purpura was the most common bleeding manifestation. Mortality rate was 4%.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2021; 50(1): 94-102