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Transient Thrombasthenia in a Patient with Tuberculosis


A. Du P. Heyns
F.P. Retief
G. Richter
P.N. Badenhorst

Abstract

A 20-year-old Black female presented with menorrhagia and epistaxis. Similar episodes, two years previously, had necessitated blood transfusion. No association with drug ingestion was found and the family history revealed no bleeding diathesis. The patient had a normal platelet count and a prolonged bleeding time. Platelet aggregation, clot retraction and platelet factor 3 release were grossly abnormal. She had axillary tuberculous lymphadenitis and chemotherapy was initiated. Three months later there was no clinical or laboratory evidence of a platelet abnormality. No reason for this transient thrombasthenia, which is unknown to us, was found. Glanzmann's disease is a hereditary thrombasthenia with a similar qualitative platelet defect.


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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574