Thrombocytopenia in medical-surgical critically ill patients: prevalence, incidence, and risk factors

We found that about 50% of the patients admitted to the ICU had at least one platelet count of less than 150 × 109/L during their ICU stay. Patients who developed thrombocytopenia were more likely to die, required longer duration of mechanical ventilation, and were more likely to require blood product transfusion. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia was frequently suspected but did not develop in these critically ill patients.