Blood Smear Facts - 3
Spontaneous Platelet aggregation (SPA) :
Mechanism
causing platelets to clump:
How
does it appear on smear:
Platelets
form large aggregates
Low
platelet counts with high MPV
What
affect does SPA have on automated counts:
Platelet-specific
antibodies (IgG/IgM) that react at room temp and only in
the presence of EDTA
High
leukocyte counts since plt clumps counted as leukocytes
How
is SPA and satellitosis corrected:
Sodium
citrate tube drawn instead of EDTA tube