Severe thrombocytopenia with acute cerebral infarction: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Common causes of thrombocytopenia include pseudo‑thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly, decreased bone marrow production, and increased platelet destruction or depletion. The main clinical manifestation is bleeding, and thrombosis‑related complications are rare. This article reports an 87‑year‑old woman with severe thrombocytopenia for more than 7 years. On day 6 in the hospital, the patient suddenly fell into a coma, and emergency head computed tomography (CT) displayed acute cerebral infarction of the left cerebellar hemisphere, brainstem, and left thalamus. Although thrombocytopenia is often associated with bleeding, there is still a need for vigilance against ischemic diseases. We analyzed the possible causes of acute cerebral infarction with thrombocytopenia and reviewed the literature. Our case is different from the causes of cerebral infarction reported in previous articles, so the relationship between thrombocytopenia and acute cerebral infarction needs further study. The patient, in this case, was not given anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy but recovered well. It shows that individualized treatment is effective.