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Current practice is to give platelet transfusions to patients with hematologic malignancies when platelet counts decline to ≤10,000/µL. However, fewer platelet transfusions might be required if they were limited to thrombocytopenic patients with clinically important bleeding (WHO grade ≥2), regardless of the platelet count.
To determine the feasibility and safety of this approach, German investigators conducted a prospective, open-label, multicenter study involving 391 patients receiving chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or undergoing stem-cell transplantation (SCT) for hematological cancers. Patients were randomized to receive platelet infusions when their morning platelet counts were ≤10,000/µL (prophylactic group) or only when…