Pseudo gray platelet syndrome

Pseudo gray platelet syndrome was described by Cockbill, Burmester, and Heptinstall (1988)^[1] who reported a 25-year-old woman with a history of mild bruising and bleeding. Another case was described in Japan in 2002.^[2]

Pseudo gray platelet syndrome
Specialty	Hematology

Presentation

Bleeding time, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and euglobulin lysis time were within normal limits. There were no platelet antibodies detected. The patient's mother and two sisters had histories of easy bruising and heavy menstrual periods. A brother had no reported bleeding tendencies. Platelets from the mother, sisters, and a daughter were normal in number and appearance under the light microscope. Platelets in blood collected into EDTA tubes appeared gray and agranular compared with platelets from blood in citrate or heparin. The key finding is under electron microscopy, EDTA-exposed platelets showed extensive activation, with loss of storage granule contents and pseudopod formation. Platelet aggregation studies were normal.^{[citation needed]}

The abnormal platelet reaction following EDTA exposure is thought to be caused by a plasma factor, although not an immunoglobulin. The mechanism by which platelet activation occurs remains unknown. Few cases have been reported in the literature.^{[citation needed]}

Diagnosis

Comparison to gray platelet syndrome

Pseudo-gray platelet syndrome differs from gray platelet syndrome (GPS), one of the giant platelet syndromes.^[3] GPS is characterized by "thrombocytopenia, abnormally large agranular platelets in peripheral blood smears, and almost total absence of platelet alpha-granules and their constituents."^[4] The defect in GPS is the failure of megakaryocytes to package secretory proteins into alpha-granules. Patients with the GPS are affected by mild to moderate bleeding tendencies.^{[citation needed]}

Treatment

References

1. Cockbill SR, Burmester HB, Heptinstall S (October 1988). "Pseudo grey platelet syndrome--grey platelets due to degranulation in blood collected into EDTA". Eur. J. Haematol. 41 (4): 326–33. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0609.1988.tb00205.x. PMID 3143601. S2CID 41430659.
2. Toyota S, Nakamura N, Dan K (November 2002). "Pseudo gray platelet syndrome in a patient with acute myocardial infarction". Int. J. Hematol. 76 (4): 376–8. doi:10.1007/bf02982700. PMID 12463604. S2CID 31865312.
3. Jantunen E (October 1994). "Inherited giant platelet disorders". Eur. J. Haematol. 53 (4): 191–6. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0609.1994.tb00187.x. PMID 7957801.
4. Jantunen E, Hänninen A, Naukkarinen A, Vornanen M, Lahtinen R (July 1994). "Gray platelet syndrome with splenomegaly and signs of extramedullary hematopoiesis: a case report with review of the literature". Am. J. Hematol. 46 (3): 218–24. doi:10.1002/ajh.2830460311. PMID 8192152. S2CID 127060.