Quantitative measurement of thromboelastography as a function of platelet count.

Abstract

T hromboelastography (TEG) analyzes the status of blood coagulation, including abnormalities associated with low platelet count (1). Using TEG to guide platelet transfusion has thus been advocated by several investigators (2–6). However, it is not clear whether TEG variables, assessed from the shape of its tracing, are regulated by platelets quantitatively, because these variables are concurrently under the influence of coagulation factors. We examined the modulation of TEG variables by the amount of platelet, which was controlled by the dilution of platelets into the patient’s plasma without affecting other factors. We also attempted to evaluate the critical platelet counts in coagulation by using this technique.