Hi Margarete,
When patients get refractory to platelet transfusions it is not called pre-existing Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura but only platelet refractoriness as far as I understand. I have read many posts at this forum about that complication in MDS patients.
http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrar...ct/105/10/4106
There is another disease called Essential Thrombocythemia where the patients have very high platelet counts.
When I got my dx 2006 they didn’t use the PFA 100 method in Sweden but now they use it.
Yes, you know there are many methods but if you lab doesn’t use them it is not so interesting for me.
Good that you responded well when you got platelet transfusions!
As far as I understand the situation in a ward with patients with very low platelets can be very difficult – much depends on the platelet function. Perhaps you know that infections and bleeding are common death causes in MDS.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A