POSTTRANSFUSION PURPURA - THE THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF PLA1-NEGATIVE PLATELETS

A case of PlA1‐associated posttransfusion purpura (PTP) is reported, in which a previously sensitized patient developed life‐threatening thrombocytopenia, purpura, hematuria, and bronchial bleeding. The patient was transfused with PlA1‐negative single‐donor apheresis platelets (from four different donors) on four occasions. The first transfusion resulted in a 1‐hour posttransfusion increment of 57 times 109 per L. The use of two additional PlA1‐negative apheresis platelets provided support for a tracheostomy. Bronchial bleeding leading to respiratory arrest was controlled with a fourth transfusion. All PlA1‐negative platelet transfusions resulted in transient increases in the patient's platelet count. This is the first reported case of repeated, transiently effective transfusion of PlA1‐negative platelets demonstrated during the acute phase of thrombocytopenia. 1990 AABB