Pseudothrombocytopenia

Pseudo-thrombocytopenia is an artifactual clumping of platelets that can occur after exposure to EDTA. The clumping occurs only in the test tube with EDTA and may be associated with an antibody that reacts to platelet antigens only in the presence of EDTA. Citrated blood can be used to get an accurate platelet count when EDTA causes this problem.