Piperacillin-induced thrombocytopenia reversed by high-flux hemodialysis in an uremic patient.

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia in an infected patient often is overlooked. We present a 74-year-old uremic female with continuous renal replacement therapy developed severe thrombocytopenia during the treatment course of piperacillin/tazobactam. Platelet counts recovered rapidly after discontinuing piperacillin/tazobactam and receiving high-flux hemodialysis. The George criteria indicates piperacillin/tazobactam as the probable cause of thrombocytopenia in this patient. Immediate withdrawal of the causative drug is important for drug-induced thrombocytopenia. Prompt high-flux hemodialysis may be an adjunctive management for uremic patients.