THE PLATELETS IN CYANOTIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

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Abstract
The mean platelet count in 102 children with congenital cyanotic heart disease was found to be 235,000/mm3 ± 1 S.D. of 85,000/mm3 as compared to 260,000 ± 70,000 in an age-matched group of normal children. In the cyanotic children, whose mean oxygen saturation was >80%, the mean platelet level was 315,000/mm3 as compared to 185,000/mm3 in the 80% oxygen saturation group was 13.2 gm/100 ml as compared to 17.2 in the 3 was 4.7 years as compared to a mean age of 2.8 years in the patients with platelet levels greater than 400,000/mm3. In addition, the older children had the highest hemoglobins and the lowest oxygen saturations. The inverse was true for the thrombocytotic individuals. The level of bound iron was not related to the platelet levels; nor were there any associated marrow or suspected capillary changes. It appears that the initial response to oxygen undersaturation is a platelet stimulation which subsequently results in underproduction as oxygen desaturation persists and worsens.

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