Thrombocytopenia and outcome in critically ill patients with bloodstream infection
published online 16 October 2009.
Objective
Thrombocytopenia is common in intensive care units (ICUs), and is associated with a poor prognosis. An acute decrease in total platelet count is frequently observed in severe sepsis, followed by a relative increase indicating organ-failure recovery. However, few data are available describing this effect and its relationship with outcomes in specific subgroups of ICU patients.
Methods
A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted to investigate the incidence and prognosis of thrombocytopenia in a cohort of critically ill patients (n=155) with a microbiologically documented nosocomial bloodstream infection.
Results
Thrombocytopenia occurred more frequently in nonsurvivors. The ICU mortality rates increased according to severity of thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia was independently associated with worse outcomes in ICU patients with nosocomial bloodstream infection.
Conclusion
Determining trends in platelet counts is of additional prognostic value, compared with single measurements.
aDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
bFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Corresponding author: Dominique M. Vandijck, RN, MSc, MA, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
ABSTRACT