[Post-transfusional platelet increment: effect of clinical factors].

The results of platelet transfusions depend upon a variety of different conditions; besides alloimmunization, a lot of clinical factors are responsible for transfusion success. The present paper tries to work out clinical findings, which are related to successful or unsuccessful platelet transfusions. The following criteria could be identified to influence posttransfusion platelet increment: hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, diagnosis, antibiotics, number and time of previous platelet transfusions. AB0 compatibility, pretransfusion storage time and leucocyte contamination. Therefore, in platelet transfusion therapy a high value should be set on AB0 compatibility, brief storage time and low leucocyte contamination, since these parameters--in contrast to the other influencing factors--can easily be controlled.