Family Screening for Thrombocytopenia in Voluntary Blood Donors with Thrombocytopenia in Kashmir Valley

BACKGROUND-Platelets are one of the components of the blood that play an important role in clotting and bleeding. Platelets are made in the bone marrow similar to other cells in the blood such as white blood cells and red blood cells. Material and methods-This was a single centre, prospective observational study conducted in SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar, India from August 2014 to May 2016. Blood samples from voluntary blood donors, families of blood donors with thrombocytopenia, and neonates reporting to SKIMS from different areas were taken by a 18 gauge needle under all aseptic conditions and stored in an EDTA anticoagulant tube after taking proper consent from the subjects and analysed using 5 Part Differential (Sysmax XT 2000i) and peripheral blood film (PBF) examination to find out the prevalence of asymptomatic thrombocytopenia in the aforementioned population. Blood donors were screened for viral serology (HBV, HCV, HIV) and anti- nuclear antibody (ANA). INCLUSION CRITERIA Bood donors, families of blood donors having thrombocytopenia and neonates reporting to SKIMS, Srinagar, regardless of age and sex. EXCLUSION CRITERIA A blood donor suffering from any disease or during convalescence of disease or has taken any agent known to cause thrombocytopenia. Voluntary blood donors with positive viral serology (HBV, HCV, HIV), or positive ANA. Results-In our study, we found thrombocytopenia in about 44.6 % of healthy blood donors of Kashmir Valley, with no identifiable acquired cause, and with absent bleeding symptoms. Majority of blood donors with thrombocytopenia have large platelets. After screening family members of voluntary blood donors having thrombocytopenia, a total of 100 families screened randomly, we found a high prevalence of familial thrombocytopenia (64.1 %) with autosomal dominant pattern of transmission and majority have large platelets. We designate this as Kashmiri macrothrombocytopenic syndrome.