Daughter has ITP - Update - Good News (sort of)!

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
For the docs in here - you guys have any idea what an INR of 1.0 and a Prothrombin time (PTT) of 23 means?

My understanding is that both INR and PTT are indicators of how quickly blood clots - normal PTT is 25-35 seconds, so 23 would be low (indicating quicker clotting). That seems counter intuitive given that platelet count is very low.

No idea what normal INR is - but daughter's value is 1.

If any are interested here are the results of my Daughter's Blood Test (value/normal range)

WBC: 10.3/6.0-15.0 k/mm3

RBC: 4.51/3.9-5.3 M/mm3

HGB: 12.4/9.2-13.8 g/dl

HCT: 35.9/31.0-41.0%

MCV: 80/72-82 fL

MCH: 27.6/23-27 pg

MCHC: 34.7/32-36 g/dL

RDW: 12.8/0-15.0%

PLT: 8/130-400 K/mm3

MPV: 9.6/7.0-11.0 fL

SEGS: 49/13-35%

Lymph: 44/44-74%

Mono: 7/0-5%

RBC Morph - Micro +1
 

disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
Here's a good link for lab test results information:
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/pt/tab/test/

Some important notes:
Certain foods, such as beef and pork liver, green tea, broccoli, chickpeas, kale, turnip greens, and soybean products, contain large amounts of vitamin K and can alter PT results. It is important that a doctor knows about all of the drugs, supplements, and foods that a person has ingested recently so that the PT/INR results are interpreted and used correctly.

Reference values are dependent on many factors, including patient age, sex, sample population, and test method, and numeric test results can have different meanings in different labs.
For these reasons, you will not find reference ranges for the majority of tests described on this web site. The lab report containing your test results should include the specific reference range for your test(s).
 

abj13

Golden Member
Jan 27, 2005
1,071
902
136
Extremely nervous about what tomorrow will bring. Hopefully only good news.

I think it will be good news. Certainly there are no guarantees, but what your daughter hopefully has is a uncommon but more often a transient/treatable/curable condition. It is one of those diagnoses pediatricians don't mind making because the outcome is usually good. It is also one of those diagnoses that a pediatrician can make with their eyes, they see the petechiae and is usually the first thing that pops into their mind.

Sho'Nuff said:
you guys have any idea what an INR of 1.0 and a Prothrombin time (PTT) of 23 means?

Don't worry about either result. Usually the only concern with the clotting cascade if it is slow, hence a high INR or high PTT. The INR result is simply a standardization all laboratories do, in order to compare the PT result. In one lab, a PT might be high at 14, in another it might be 15. Many physicians just end up looking at the INR result, and ignoring the PT result. A normal INR is 1.

One other reassuring result. Your daughter's white blood cell (WBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) are normal. Typically if you have bad enough leukemia that is causing a low platelet count, it will also cause the hemoglobin to be low, and the WBC to be very high or very low. Again, this is no guarantee, and the hematologist will definitely have to have a keen eye to look for leukemia, but in some ways it is a reassuring result.
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
I think it will be good news. Certainly there are no guarantees, but what your daughter hopefully has is a uncommon but more often a transient/treatable/curable condition. It is one of those diagnoses pediatricians don't mind making because the outcome is usually good. It is also one of those diagnoses that a pediatrician can make with their eyes, they see the petechiae and is usually the first thing that pops into their mind.

Don't worry about either result. Usually the only concern with the clotting cascade if it is slow, hence a high INR or high PTT. The INR result is simply a standardization all laboratories do, in order to compare the PT result. In one lab, a PT might be high at 14, in another it might be 15. Many physicians just end up looking at the INR result, and ignoring the PT result. A normal INR is 1.

One other reassuring result. Your daughter's white blood cell (WBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) are normal. Typically if you have bad enough leukemia that is causing a low platelet count, it will also cause the hemoglobin to be low, and the WBC to be very high or very low. Again, this is no guarantee, and the hematologist will definitely have to have a keen eye to look for leukemia, but in some ways it is a reassuring result.

Thanks again abj. Much appreciated.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
Just to echo abj13 again (quite nice when he or she posts first!) so that you hear a second voice OP. So far from what you've things do appear to be reassuring. It's great that your daughter has family that cares so much and I'm sure she's in good medical hands. Best of luck!
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
Update in OP - not much to report unfortunately. In a "wait and see" pattern.
 

Stopsignhank

Platinum Member
Mar 1, 2014
2,750
2,250
136
Dude,

Best of luck. I went through my own medical issues with my daughter. She had her first operation when she was 24 hours old and her third and last when she was about the age of your daughter. She is now 20 and attending UCSB.

Wishing you the best!
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
Update in OP - not much to report unfortunately. In a "wait and see" pattern.

Honestly that's a reasonably good thing after 2 days. They would have examined her blood under a microscope likely the first day, if not then yesterday, and there weren't any obvious concerning issues they related to you (acute leukemia). The blood counts look otherwise normal. ITP often just takes time.
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
Still no word from the lab at Children's. I'm chalking that up as being a good thing. If her labs were indicative of something "really" bad, I imagine we would know by now.
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
0
whats your daughters name man? I had my kids say say a little prayer at bed time last night. Will do again tonight.


Hoping for the best of news man! My son had a bunch of scares before he was one and he fought trough them like a champ is is 100 percent awesome and healthy now.

God bless man
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
10
0
Keep positive and optimistic.

And remember, our entire healthcare revolves around sending people around for bunch of random shit so everyone and their mother can make money.

The more they find, the more they will make.

It's a shame really, because at the time when your family is dealing with a serious situation you need to count on people that are in business to make as much money as possible.

And you know the old saying "If you look for problems, you will find them".

Good luck
 

abj13

Golden Member
Jan 27, 2005
1,071
902
136
Still no word from the lab at Children's. I'm chalking that up as being a good thing. If her labs were indicative of something "really" bad, I imagine we would know by now.

Yes exactly. If anything was worrisome, the physician would have been directly called by the lab, and you most certainly would have been contacted.

Vdubchaos said:
And remember, our entire healthcare revolves around sending people around for bunch of random shit so everyone and their mother can make money.

The more they find, the more they will make.

It's a shame really, because at the time when your family is dealing with a serious situation you need to count on people that are in business to make as much money as possible.

And you know the old saying "If you look for problems, you will find them".

What's the point of posting this crap? What exactly was done here that involved "sending people around for bunch of random shit?"
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
whats your daughters name man? I had my kids say say a little prayer at bed time last night. Will do again tonight.


Hoping for the best of news man! My son had a bunch of scares before he was one and he fought trough them like a champ is is 100 percent awesome and healthy now.

God bless man

Her first name is Olivia, but everyone calls her Lulu
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136

A shame you had to sandwich such drivel between positive thoughts. Not going to respond to another troll post from you in this thread regarding it as this isn't the thread for it, but it's pretty absurd.

What's the point of posting this crap? What exactly was done here that involved "sending people around for bunch of random shit?"

He's a troll about such things.

Still no word from the lab at Children's. I'm chalking that up as being a good thing. If her labs were indicative of something "really" bad, I imagine we would know by now.

Yep. Just like I said a bit earlier, if something were truly concerning, you'd already know. No news is great news in this situation. Keep up the spirits, everything is reassuring!