- Kristen M Marks: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA. markskr@med.cornell.edu
OBJECTIVE: Before potent antiretroviral therapy, thrombocytopenia was observed frequently. Little is known about risk factors for or severity and consequences of thrombocytopenia since establishment of highly effective therapy for HIV.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective-matched case-control study of HIV-infected adult outpatients with and without thrombocytopenia to elucidate the contribution of HIV viremia, hepatitis C infection, and other potential risk factors for thrombocytopenia. Seventy-three cases with thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 x 10(9)/L persistent for >3 months) were matched by age, sex, and first clinic visit with 73 nonthrombocytopenic controls. Risk factors and outcomes were assessed using conditional logistic regression.
RESULTS: Nadir platelet counts in cases were
CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytopenia in the era of potent antiretroviral therapy is associated with hepatitis C virus infection, cirrhosis, and uncontrolled HIV replication, and serious complications including major bleeding and death.