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CS Kitchens and JF Pendergast
Capillary fragility is characteristic of severe thrombocytopenia. This
mechanical weakness may not be solely accounted for by decreased ability of
platelets to repair endothelial breaks. Platelets may have a role in
maintaining endothelial hemostasis. This laboratory has demonstrated
thinning of capillary endothelium in experimental thrombocytopenia. We now
report similar findings in human thrombocytopenia. Capillary endothelium
supplying either skin or skeletal muscle was found to have a mean thickness
only half that of normal as well as frequent very thinned areas, including
some fenestrations. All findings reverted toward normal after four days of
prednisone administration at a time the degree of thrombocytopenia was
equally severe. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that
platelets are necessary for normal structure and function of endothelial
cells and that glucocorticosteroid administration may ameliorate the
pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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| Copyright © 1986 by American Society of Hematology Online ISSN: 1528-0020 | |||||||||
