PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia
Version 1
: Received: 18 April 2024 / Approved: 18 April 2024 / Online: 19 April 2024 (14:37:03 CEST)
How to cite:
Mounce, L.T.A.; Calitri, R.; Hamilton, W.; Rafiq, M.; Emery, J.D.; Giannakeas, V.; Kotsopoulos, J.; Bailey, S.E.R. Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia. Preprints2024, 2024041285. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1285.v1
Mounce, L.T.A.; Calitri, R.; Hamilton, W.; Rafiq, M.; Emery, J.D.; Giannakeas, V.; Kotsopoulos, J.; Bailey, S.E.R. Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia. Preprints 2024, 2024041285. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1285.v1
Mounce, L.T.A.; Calitri, R.; Hamilton, W.; Rafiq, M.; Emery, J.D.; Giannakeas, V.; Kotsopoulos, J.; Bailey, S.E.R. Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia. Preprints2024, 2024041285. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1285.v1
APA Style
Mounce, L.T.A., Calitri, R., Hamilton, W., Rafiq, M., Emery, J.D., Giannakeas, V., Kotsopoulos, J., & Bailey, S.E.R. (2024). Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1285.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Mounce, L.T.A., Joanne Kotsopoulos and Sarah E. R. Bailey. 2024 "Improving the Clinical Utility of Platelet Count in Primary Care with Age- and Sex-Stratified Upper Thresholds Suggestive of an Undiagnosed Cancer: A Cohort Study Set in Primary Care in England, Canada, and Australia" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1285.v1
Abstract
The platelet count, a component of the full blood count, has been identified as a useful diagnostic marker for cancer in primary care. The reference range for the platelet count is 150 to 400 or 450 × 109/l; this range does not account for natural variation in platelet count by age and sex. This study used three primary care cohorts from England Canada, and Australia. Patients aged 40 years and over with a full blood count were included and stratified by age (in 10-year bands), sex, (male/female), and platelet count group. Cancer incidence within one year of test date was estimated from linked registry data. In all three countries there was a clear upwards trend in cancer incidence with increasing platelet count, for both sexes and at all age groups. Lung and colorectal were the most common sites. These results have important implications for the international application of this work; analysis of local health datasets will be crucial to determine appropriate thresholds. Appropriate upper thresholds will depend on local populations, healthcare needs, and priorities. Further research is needed to assess the likely impact of new recommendations on the healthcare system, on cancer outcomes, and patient benefit.
Keywords
cancer; diagnosis; primary care; family medicine; full blood count; platelet count
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Primary Health Care
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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