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Diagnosis of Thrombocytopenia in Children

Release Date: June 27, 2008
Expiration Date: June 27, 2009
Estimated time to complete this Activity: 1 hour

Overview

Thrombocytopenia in children is a common finding. As an isolated laboratory finding, thrombocytopenia may simply be associated with a resolving viral infection, or at the other extreme, it could be the harbinger of acute leukemia. Due to the broad range of severity and the enumerable diseases associated with a low platelet count, the pediatrician or hematologist must rely on history, presentation, and examination to narrow down the differential diagnoses and laboratory studies as quickly as possible. This review will focus on the most common forms of thrombocytopenia and highlight less frequent syndromes for which early diagnosis and treatment can be lifesaving. Using the diagnostic pathway, an algorithm for the evaluation of thrombocytopenia will emerge with the description of the various disease entities.

Target Audience

Diagnosis of Thrombocytopenia in Children is intended for residents and fellows in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology; however, practicing physicians and other health care professionals involved in the care and treatment of children with hematologic disorders also will benefit from this activity.

Educational Objectives

After completing this continuing medical education (CME) activity, participants should be able to:

  • Identify the presenting signs and symptoms of a child with thrombocytopenia
  • Generate a logical and timely differential diagnosis for the thrombocytopenia based on a thorough physical examination and clinical and family history
  • Judiciously limit the workup to those procedures and laboratory assays most likely to confirm the etiology of the thrombocytopenia

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of The FCG Institute for Continuing Education and IME, LLC. The FCG Institute for Continuing Education is accredited by the ACCME to provide CME for physicians.


Credit Designation Statement

The FCG Institute for Continuing Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

How to Get Credit

To receive CME credit, you must read the newsletter, complete the evaluation and credit request form, and pass with a score of 70% or higher on the test questions posted during the interactive cases. Then print your certificate online. That's it — no need to wait for the certificate to be mailed to you!

Faculty Disclosure

It is the policy of The FCG Institute for Continuing Education that all faculty participating in CME activities are expected to disclose to the program audience (1) any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest related to the content of their presentations and (2) discussion of unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or medical devices. Faculty disclosure statements can be found with their biographical sketches.

Dr. Nugent has disclosed that she has received research support from CSL Behring. She has served on advisory boards or as a consultant for Bayer HealthCare AG and Novo Nordisk Inc.

Conflict of Interest Resolution

When individuals in a position to control or influence the development of the content have reported Financial Relationships with one or more commercial interests, The FCG Institute for Continuing Education utilizes a process to identify and resolve potential conflicts to ensure that the content presented is free of commercial bias. The content of this presentation was vetted through The FCG Institute for Continuing Education’s process of peer review and content validation and modified as required to meet this standard.

Notice About Investigational or Off-Label Use

This educational activity may include discussion of drugs or devices or uses of drugs and devices that have not been approved by the FDA or have been approved by the FDA for specific uses only. It is the responsibility of the physician to determine the FDA clearance status of each drug or device he or she wishes to use in clinical practice. The FCG Institute for Continuing Education is committed to the free exchange of medical education. Inclusion of any product or device discussion, including discussion of investigational or off-label uses, does not imply endorsement by The FCG Institute for Continuing Education of the uses, products, or techniques presented.

Disclaimer

This CME activity is designed for use by health care professionals for educational purposes only. The information and opinions expressed by the faculty are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The FCG Institute for Continuing Education. The FCG Institute for Continuing Education neither defines a standard of care nor intends to dictate an exclusive course of management but presents, through the educational activities it sponsors, recognized methods and techniques of clinical practice that physicians and other health care providers can consider incorporating into their practices. Participants should use their own clinical judgment before applying information, whether provided here or by others, for any professional use.

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Faculty:

Full Biographical Sketch


Diane J. Nugent, MD
Director, Region IX Hemophilia Treatment Center
Children’s Hospital of Orange County
Orange, California

Jointly Sponsored by:

The FCG Institute for Continuing Education gratefully acknowledges an educational grant from Novo Nordisk Inc. in support of this CME activity.

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