Physicians are reasonably familiar with the different thresholds which are recommended for considering platelet transfusions in patients at risk (more commonly) or actively bleeding. However, in most of these situations, the threshold set is based purely on expert opinion. In the current evidence-based world, this is not entirely acceptable, but nevertheless followed on the basis that there is no solid evidence available and needs to be based on retrospective analysis . What is also not known in these clinical scenarios is whether the platelet transfusions are clearly responsible for improving the patient outcome or harmful consequences would have resulted, if the transfusions were not undertaken in the first place.
