Chest
-
Multicenter Study
Platelet count decline: an early prognostic marker in critically ill patients with prolonged ICU stays.
Thrombocytopenia is common in ICU patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate possible links between declining platelet counts early in the ICU stay and survival. ⋯ In patients who spend > 5 days in the ICU and have normal platelet counts at ICU admission, a decline in platelet counts provides prognostic information. This parameter deserves to be included in new scoring systems.