Italian daily platelet transfusion practice for haematological patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy with or without stem cell transplantation: a survey by the GIMEMA Haemostasis and Thrombosis Working Party

Background. Following high-dose chemotherapy/bone marrow transplantation, patients are routinely, prophylactically transfused with platelet concentrates (PC) if they have a platelet count ≤10×109/L or higher in the presence of risk factors for bleeding. However, whether such transfusions are necessary in clinically stable patients with no bleeding, or whether a therapeutic transfusion strategy could be sufficient and safe, is still debated. Materials and methods. The GIMEMA Haemostasis and Thrombosis Working Party sent a questionnaire to Italian haematology departments to survey several aspects of daily platelet transfusion practice, such as the cut-off platelet count for transfusion, the e…