American Board of Pathology (ABPath) Practice Test

Thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by a low platelet count and is a recognized complication arising from diseases affecting the spleen. The spleen plays a crucial role in filtering blood and managing the immune response. It is responsible for the sequestration and destruction of old or damaged platelets. In conditions such as hypersplenism, the spleen may become hyperactive, leading to an increased removal of platelets from circulation and resulting in thrombocytopenia.

Diseases involving the spleen, such as splenomegaly due to infections, hematologic disorders, or liver cirrhosis, can exacerbate this process. Consequently, when the spleen is pathologically altered, patients can experience significant reductions in platelet count, increasing the risk of bleeding and bruising.

In contrast, other choices such as polycythemia (an increased red blood cell mass), leukopenia (a reduction in white blood cells), and hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells leading to anemia) do not directly arise from spleen dysfunction in the same manner as thrombocytopenia. While the spleen can be involved in processes related to these conditions, the direct and common consequence of spleen-related diseases is a decrease in plate