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The number of platelets given to patients during prophylactic platelet transfusions usually ranges from 300 billion to 600 billion, because the platelet counts needed to prevent bleeding are not well defined — and some study results indicate no relation between postinfusion platelet counts and subsequent bleeding. To determine the effect of platelet dosing on bleeding risk following prophylactic platelet transfusions, investigators transfused 1272 children and adults who were undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation or chemotherapy and whose platelet counts had dropped below 10,000/μL.
Patients were randomly assigned to receive 110 billion, 220 billion, or 440 billion platelets per square meter of body surface area (the middle dose…