[akita]

>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.

Yes, this should be the right expression. The patients with ITP have only platelet refactoriness, the patients with MDS refractoriness with or without this special ITP-component have extra problems, what i understood: Infections and bleeding als common death causes, - not so in ITP where Splenectomy and some other treatments help.

>Yes, you know there are many methods but if your lab doesn`t use them it is not so interesting for me.

Is it expensive? I am asking that because we have some blood laboratories in Vienna where you can get blood results very fast. You can pay them privately - the price starting from 18 Euros, or your praciticioner writes you a recipy and they do it, probably the Common Insurance pays it. For such "specialities" it is probably necessary to go through a bit of fighting with the Insurance and the hospital, but next time they would perhaps be more sensible for your needs..

Actually, it seems to me, it could be the best if a patient could express her/his subjective need for platelet transfusions according to her/his experiences with his/her body and transfusion history and would be given it. But sometimes perhaps it is necessary to show a paper where special results are indicated, that show to the transfusion unit, that you really need that.

>Good that you responded well when you got platelet transfusions!

I was lucky with many things...

>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.

Yes, really.

Have you already been in a hematologcal ward as a doctor, patient or visitor?

Kind regards,

Margarete