Pappenheimer bodies. An additional cause for a spurious platelet count.

A 67-year-old woman who had sideroblastic anemia had a spuriously elevated platelet count due primarily to Pappenheimer bodies. The platelet count on an electrooptical instrument was falsely elevated. The true platelet count was determined by phase microscopy using lysed whole blood and by the peripheral blood smear. There appear to have been no previous reports of falsely elevated platelet counts due to Pappenheimer bodies. Other causes of spuriously elevated platelet counts are reviewed. The reasons for the spurious counts are discussed.