Platelet associated antibodies
Normal values:
A negative test is normal.
What abnormal results mean:
Anti-platelet antibodies are present.
Antiplatelet antibodies are antibodies that bind to platelets and may result in increased platelet destruction. This causes a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) with bleeding.
These antibodies may be associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), drug-induced thrombocytopenia (caused by heparin), and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
In some cases, ITP and TTP antibodies arise for unknown reasons. In the drug-induced types, presumably drugs associate with normal proteins on the surface of platelets and modify their structure in such a way that they appear to the immune system as abnormal proteins.
The antibodies may be either IgM or IgG type.
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
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