Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Cytopenias occur frequently after kidney transplantation but posttransplantation thrombocytopenia (PTTCP) frequency has rarely been reported. METHODS: This monocenter, retrospective study aimed to describe PTTCP frequency, causes, treatments and outcomes. PTTCP was defined as thrombocytopenia with ≥2 platelet counts <100×10(9)/L after first month posttransplantation. RESULTS: Among 2118 kidney-transplant recipients between 2002 and 2018, 189 (8.9%) developed PTTCP. Their mean platelet-count nadir was 51×10(9)/L [range 4-96×10(9)]; nadir was <50×10(9)/L for 87 (46.0%) patients. Main identified PTTCP etiologies were drugs (24.3%), or infectious diseases (20.1%; cytomegalovirus causing 79.4% of them), or unknown for 26 (13.7%). Bleeding rate was high (32.7%), with 40 (64.5%) severe episodes. During follow-up, 103 (54.5%) patients suffered graft loss or died at a median of 5.41 years post-PTTCP episode. Multivariate analyses retained a severe bleeding episode as being significantly associated with antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy and pancytopenia, and age, creatininemia, transplantation-to-PTTCP interval and severe bleeding as significant risk factors for death or graft loss. CONCLUSION: PTTCP is frequently associated with severe bleeding, which is a risk factor for graft loss and death. Those findings suggest that the risk/benefit ratio of antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapies should be systemically evaluated for PTTCP patients.