Important Note

*This test is orderable in Cerner as Immature Platelet Fraction

The immature platelet fraction (%IPF) is a modern parameter that measures young and thereby reticulated platelets in peripheral blood. IPF levels rise as bone marrow production of platelets increases. Therefore its measurement provides an assessment of bone marrow platelet production from a peripheral blood sample, in a similar way to how a reticulocyte count could provide a measure of red cell production. There is a high clinical utility of the %IPF in the laboratory diagnosis and treatment of thrombocytopenia due to the ability to relate raised %IPF levels with increased peripheral platelet destruction. It is particularly useful for supporting the diagnosis of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and for distinguishing these from bone marrow suppression or failure. In the case of the latter, the %IPF value would be low.

The IPF will be reported out with the following parameters:

· Platelet count

· MPV

· IPF

Reflex CBC testing:

· CBC’s and CBC-D’s- will reflex to an IPF when the platelet count is <20,000 X 103/mcL and this value will be provided along with the CBC results.

· CBC-D’s that reflex to a manual differential will no longer have the automated differential reported out. The manual differential will be reported only.