Early‐onset and persisting thrombocytopenia in post‐cardiac surgery patients is rarely due to heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia, even when antibody tests are positive

BACKGROUND: The high frequency of thrombocytopenia in post-cardiac surgery patients makes it challenging to diagnose heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Two platelet count profiles are reported as indicating possible HIT in these patients: profile 1 describes a platelet count fall that begins between postoperative days 5 and 10, whereas profile 2 denotes early-onset thrombocytopenia that persists beyond day 5. OBJECTIVES: To examine how …