ArticleCureus2025
The Phantom Platelet Problem: Unmasking Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)-Induced Pseudo-Thrombocytopenia.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Review
- EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia mimicking dengue-associated severe thrombocytopenia: a case report.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2025Article
- Reversible Platelet Aggregation Induced by Low-Temperature Storage in Heparinized Whole Blood Samples.Hematology reports · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-induced pseudo-thrombocytopenia (EDTA-PTCP) is an artefact caused by EDTA-dependent platelet clumping in laboratory testing. Unrecognized cases may lead to unnecessary investigations, diagnostic confusion, and inappropriate medical management. We present a case of EDTA-PTCP, a condition that is still commonly overlooked in clinical practice. A clinical suspicion should always be raised when a drop in platelet count in the blood is identified among otherwise asymptomatic patients. To confirm the diagnosis, serial platelet counts on alternative anticoagulants, i.e., citrate or heparin, and blood smear studies to check for platelet clumping have to be performed. EDTA-PTCP awareness is vital to prevent patients from unnecessary medical procedures and investigations. Early recognition of this diagnostic artefact and its treatment using the appropriate diagnostic methods will help clinicians avoid misinterpreting laboratory findings. This leads to precise management of affected patients and reduces unnecessary patient anxiety, mismanagement, and healthcare costs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.