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Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:2619-2620.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Although cholestyramine has been widely prescribed for many years in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, to our knowledge there have been no reports of platelet disorder induced by this drug. We report a case of platelet gigantism in a child receiving treatment with cholestyramine.

Report of a Case

A 9-year-old boy with no medical history was treated with cholestyramine for hypercholesterolemia (cholesterol level, 446 mg/dL [11.51 mmol/L]) and type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia associated with cutaneous xanthoma. Three months later, an isolated thrombocytopenia (platelet count, 94 x 10³/µL [94 x 10⁹/L]) without any bleeding was observed. Treatment with cholestyramine was stopped, and his platelet count had apparently increased to the reference value. Cholestyramine therapy was reintroduced twice, and apparent thrombocytopenia rapidly recurred (over the first months). A hematological evaluation was eventually carried out in our laboratory while the child was receiving treatment. His platelet count had apparently decreased to 97 x 10³/µL (97 x . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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