Plasma beta‐thromboglobulin values in thrombocytopenic patients with acute leukemia

Plasma beta‐thromboglobulin (β‐TG) levels were measured in 14 healthy subjects and in 20 acute leukemia (AL) patients, newly diagnosed, with highly variable values for venous platelet counts. For healthy subjects the plasma β‐TG levels ranged 12–38 (mean 17) ng/ml. In this group of patients with AL, a highly significant positive correlation (P < 0.001) between the values for plasma β‐TG and venous platelet count was present. During a thrombocytopenic period, the plasma β‐TG concentration was measured in nine of the AL patients immediately before and 10 to 12 hours after platelet transfusion therapy. Fourteen platelet transfusions were administered when the patient's highest temperature of the day was <38.5° C, and 18 when the highest temperature of the day was <38.5°C. The mean pretransfusion and post‐transfusion β‐TG values for the 14 platelet transfusions were 7 ± 2 and 20 ± 5 ng/ml, respectively. The corresponding means for the 18 transfusions given to febrile patients were 5 ± 2 ng/ml and 11 ± 2 ng/ml, respectively. Of the pretransfusion values, 11/14 and 14/18 were below the control range. We conclude that the plasma β‐TG values are considerably lower in thrombocytopenic patients than in subjects with normal platelet counts. Further work should provide reference values for plasma β‐TG over a wide range of venous platelet counts.