Essential thrombocytosis overview
|
Essential thrombocytosis Microchapters |
|
Differentiating Essential thrombocytosis from other Diseases |
|---|
|
Diagnosis |
|
Treatment |
|
Essential thrombocytosis overview On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Essential thrombocytosis overview |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Essential thrombocytosis overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Primary or Essential thrombocytosis (ET) is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by overproduction of platelets in the absence of an underlying disease. The disease, also called as Epstein-Goedel syndrome was first described by pathologists Emil Epstein and Alfred Goedel in the year 1934. Platelets are non-nucleated fragments of cytoplasm that aid in blood clotting by forming a platelet plug sealing off the site of injury in an effort to minimize or stop bleeding. Normal platelet counts usually range from 150,000-450,000 platelets/μL of blood. Thrombocytosis is when the counts stay consistently higher at more than 600,000 platelets/μL of blood and Thrombocytopenia is when the counts are consistently lower than 150,000 platelets/μL of blood. ET is grouped under the myeloproliferative disorders along with polycythemia vera, chronic myeloid leukaemia and myelofibrosis. Rarely the disease progresses to acute myeloid leukemia (AML).