Causes of Thrombocytopenia
Mechanism | Examples |
|---|---|
Bone marrow does not produce enough platelets | Heavy alcohol consumption Vitamin deficiency anemias, including vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anemias Some bone marrow disorders Some chemotherapy drugs |
Platelets become entrapped in an enlarged spleen | Cirrhosis of the liver that causes spleen enlargement due to abnormally high blood pressure in the large vein that brings blood from the intestine to the liver |
Platelets become diluted | Massive red blood cell replacement or exchange transfusion; stored red blood cells do not contain very many platelets |
Use or destruction of platelets increases | Hepatitis C virus infection, HIV infection and other viral infections Conditions involving disseminated intravascular coagulation within blood vessels, as can occur with complications of childbirth, cancer, blood poisoning (septicemia) due to gram-negative bacteria, and traumatic brain damage Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura Some vaccines, such as for measles, mumps, and rubella, influenza, hepatitis B, COVID-19 |