Thrombocytopenia, macrothrombocytopathia, nephritis and deafness

The association of thrombocytopenia, macrothrombocytopathia, nephritis and deafness is rare. Reported here is a new case of this triple association. The clinical course, the nephropathologic findings and the bilateral neurologic hearing loss were similar to those already reported, with a slowly progressive impairment of renal function accompanied by a persistent proteinuria. The platelet diameters were increased. These macroplatelets contained granules of normal structure but with an irregular distribution in the cytoplasm. In other areas the cytoplasm was rich in surface connected system. The survival of these platelets and their contraction were normal. Their aggregation and excretion in response to collagen, adenosine diphosphate and thrombin, and the values of platelet factor 3 activity were all decreased. The degranulation defect, also present, was observed in the absence of a decrease in intracellular cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) suggesting a relationship between these two findings.