Reticulated platelets are platelets recently released from the bone marrow, and they can serve as a noninvasive indicator of recent megakaryopoietic activity. Widespread clinical use has been hampered by laborious methods and lack of standardization. Recently, a fully automated method was released on the Abbott CELL-DYN Sapphire hematology analyzer.
To establish reference ranges for reticulated platelets. Secondary aims were to investigate associations between reticulated platelets and other platelet parameters like mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, and platelet distribution width.
Reticulated platelets and other platelet parameters were measured in an unselected cohort of 8089 subjects visiting a primary health care laboratory. The reticulated platelet data were analyzed using the Bhattacharya technique. In addition, a nonparametric method was used in selected subjects with normal platelet counts for providing reference ranges.
Reticulated platelets ranged from 0.4% to 6.0% or from 1 to 18 × 10(3)/μL. Reticulated platelets increased significantly with the subjects' age. Statistically, males had slightly higher values than females, but the differences were negligible. Reticulated platelets were positively correlated with platelet count and negatively with mean platelet volume.
Reference ranges have been established for reticulated platelets as measured on the CELL-DYN Sapphire hematology analyzer. There were no relevant differences between the sexes, but there was a clear effect of age. An individual's reticulated platelets are associated with the platelet count as well as mean platelet volume.