Publication:

Estimate the incidence and pattern of reactive thrombocytosis among febrile young infants with serious bacterial infection

Background Thrombocytosis or elevation in the peripheral blood platelet count to values >400,000/μL is common in infancy and childhood, occurring in 3 to 13% of children. The objective of study was to estimate the incidence and pattern of reactive thrombocytosis among febrile young infants with serious bacterial infections (SBIs).

Methods The study was conducted in the Postgraduate Department of Pediatrics, G.B. Pant hospital, an associated hospital of Govt. Medical College Srinagar, which is a referral tertiary care hospital for the children of Kashmir valley. The study was a prospective non-randomized study conducted from April 2011 to March 2012. All infants of age 30-89 days admitted in hospital with rectal temperature >38◦C/100.4◦F without an apparent focus of infection on history and clinical examination were included in the study.

Results The incidence of reactive thrombocytosis >4 lakh/mm3 in our study was 33 out of 39 (84.6%) in SBI versus 60 out of 110 (54.5%) in Non-SBI, which was statistically significant in SBI, p value 4 lakh/mm3 in our study was significantly higher in SBI (84.6%) than in Non-SBI (54.5%), p value 4 lakh/mm3, reactive thrombocytosis, being simple and easy test to perform can be used for early prediction of SBI.