Summary
Detailed studies on the rare disorder X-linked thrombocytopenia showed that it resembles
the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) in inheritance, clinical bleeding tendency, platelet
morphology, marked thrombocytopenia and microplatelets. The calculated platelet mass
was 5% of normal. Functional and biochemical studies indicated qualitatively normal
aggregation and release mechanisms, whereas a moderate storage pool defect was present.
The classical platelet membrane glycoproteins and lymphocyte sialophorin (CD 43) were
normal.
The reason for the bleeding tendency was concluded to be deficient hemostatic plug
formation resulting from the low platelet mass and a moderate storage pool defect.
The only clear distinction from WAS was the normal immunofunctional tests, the moderate
tendency to infections and the absence of eczema. We therefore consider the trait
as an attenuated form of WAS. That women are affected may indicate a particular variant.