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OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence, risk factors, and outcome of thrombocytopenia in medical intensive care patients. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: The 12-bed medical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: All consecutively admitted patients with normal platelet count at admission and an intensive care unit stay of >48 hrs during a 13-month period (n = 145). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of intensive care unit-acquired thrombocytopenia (platelet count, /=30% (p or = 30%, but not thrombocytopenia per se, is independently associated with intensive care unit death. Serial measurements of platelet counts are important and readily available markers for monitoring the patient's condition. Any drop in platelet count requires urgent clarification. Disseminated intravascular coagulation, signs of organ failure at admission, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are predictors of intensive care unit-acquired thrombocytopenia.
Strauß et al. (Thu,) studied this question.