Massive Platelet Clumping on Peripheral Blood Smear and Pseudothrombocytopenia in a Patient with COVID-19

Pseudothrombocytopenia is often associated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) used in blood count tubes. It is essential to examine the peripheral smear of patients with thrombocytopenia and differentiate actual thrombocytopenia from pseudothrombocytopenia. 1,2 COVID-19 is a new infectious agent for which immunological returns have not been clearly defined, and pseudothrombocytopenia has been reported as in COVID patients and has been associated with the binding of platelets due to typical EDTA.3,4 We think that it should be kept in mind that pseudothrombocytopenia in COVID-19 patients can be an effect of the changes in the endothelium as a result of the infection. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient.