Evaluating platelet function disorders in children with bleeding tendency – A single center study

AbstractPlatelet function disorders (PFDs) are a common cause of mild bleeding tendency. However, they cannot be recognized by standard screening studies. The gold standard test for PFD is platelet aggregation, performed by light transmission aggregometry (LTA). A newer and less validated method is the closure time (CT), performed by the platelet function Analyzer 100 (PFA-100). Data regarding the validity of these tests in children are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of LTA and PFA-100 for the diagnosis of pediatric patients with bleeding tendency.This retrospective study included patients one month–18 year old that had LTA tests performed at the coagulation laboratory of Rabin Medical Center between the years 2006–2015. Bleeding severity was assessed using a pediatric bleeding score. Patients were excluded from analysis if they had thrombocytopenia, thrombocytosis or coagulation factors deficiencies. One hundred and thirty-seven (137) patients were included in the analysis....