Prevalence of asymptomatic macrothrombocytopenia in voluntary blood donors: A multicentric study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Macrothrombocytopenia is a combination of thrombocytopenia and giant platelets (PLTs). It can be found asymptomatically with several genetic polymorphisms/mutations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of macrothrombocytopenia in blood donors and to identify its geographic variation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ) and mean PLT volume >11.5 fl were identified, and a peripheral blood smear was prepared, stained, and screened for giant PLTs. The data were analyzed using MS Excel (Microsoft 365), RStudio (Version: 2023.03.1 + 446), and IBM SPSS Statistics 27. RESULTS: A total of 2574 donors were screened at four centers of different geographic zones of India. The mean age was 34.81 ± 9.32 with male: female of 34.75:1. Overall macrothrombocytopenia was found in 102 (4%) with significant zonal variation: 88 (86.3%), 4 (3.9%) in East and South, respectively, and 5 (4.9%) each in West and North regions. The peripheral smears revealed giant PLTs in all cases of macrothrombocytopenia in the South and North, 76% and 80% in the East and West, respectively. The most common blood group showing macrothrombocytopenia was B positive 41 (40.2%). CONCLUSION: Macrothrombocytopenia shows significant zonal variation, with a maximum number of cases identified in the East zone of India. Screening and awareness of this condition are essential to counsel donors for bleeding tendencies.
Language: English
Subfield: Hematology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411871261