Explanation for thrombocytopenia in 100 cancer patients who tested SRA-negative
| Diagnosis . | N . | Venous limb ischemia . | Limb artery thrombosis . | Any thrombosis* . | Died during hospitalization . |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer-associated DIC | 17 | 10 (59%) | 3 (18%) | 15 (88%) | 10 (59%) |
| Septicemia/multiorgan system failure | 33 | 1† (3%) | 0 (0%) | 4 (12%) | 25 (76%) |
| Postoperative hemodilution/consumption | 24 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 7 (29%) | 3 (13%) |
| Thrombosis without thrombocytopenia‡ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Nonimmune heparin-associated thrombocytopenia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Chemotherapy or radiation related | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Leukoerythroblastosis/marrow replacement | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Postthrombolytic therapy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cardiogenic shock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (non-HIT) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous§ | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 100 | 11 (11%) | 6 (6%) | 44 (44%) | 48 (48%) |
| Diagnosis . | N . | Venous limb ischemia . | Limb artery thrombosis . | Any thrombosis* . | Died during hospitalization . |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer-associated DIC | 17 | 10 (59%) | 3 (18%) | 15 (88%) | 10 (59%) |
| Septicemia/multiorgan system failure | 33 | 1† (3%) | 0 (0%) | 4 (12%) | 25 (76%) |
| Postoperative hemodilution/consumption | 24 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 7 (29%) | 3 (13%) |
| Thrombosis without thrombocytopenia‡ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Nonimmune heparin-associated thrombocytopenia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Chemotherapy or radiation related | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Leukoerythroblastosis/marrow replacement | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Postthrombolytic therapy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cardiogenic shock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (non-HIT) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous§ | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 100 | 11 (11%) | 6 (6%) | 44 (44%) | 48 (48%) |
Thrombotic events included DVT(s) (n = 26), limb artery thrombosis/thromboses (n = 6), myocardial infarction (n = 11), thrombotic cerebrovascular accident (n = 5), and superior mesenteric artery thrombosis (n = 1); several patients had >1 thrombotic event.
Symmetrical peripheral gangrene (ie, bilateral lower limb gangrene despite palpable arterial pulses) was observed in a patient with septicemia-associated DIC and hepatobiliary failure (obstructive jaundice secondary to nonresectable pancreatic cancer).
Four patients were investigated for HIT antibodies because of thrombosis without thrombocytopenia.
Miscellaneous categories include HIV-associated thrombocytopenia (n = 1), lymphoma-associated hematophagocytosis (n = 1), intracardiac tumor (n = 1), and 2 patients with insufficient information available for classification.