[Fragmented red cells are the major cause of spuriously high platelet counts in patients with fragmented red cells when counts are obtained by automated blood cell counter].
Miho Nishiyama, Satoru Hayashi, Yoshiaki Futsukaichi, Etsuji Suehisa, Yoshiyuki Kurata · PubMed · 2005
Platelet counts measured by automated blood cell counter often show spuriously high values when measuring samples contain particles of equal size to platelets. The major cause of spuriously high platelet counts in samples with fragmented red cells (FRC) is thought to be the FRC themselves. We studied the correlation between FRC and spuriously high platelet counts in 40 patients demonstrating FRC on blood smears. FRC were measured by manual hemocytometry and by flow cytometry using a monoclonal antibody against glycophorin A (GPA method). There was a significant correlation between spuriously high platelet counts and FRC by manual hemocytometry (r=0.60, p<0.001) or FRC by the GPA method (r=0.45, p<0.005). These data suggest that FRC are the major cause of spuriously high platelet counts in samples with FRC.