[Thrombopoiesis and blood coagulation in pediatric patients with septicemia (author's transl)].

45 infants and children with thrombocytopenia and septicemia were studied. Many parameters of blood coagulation, the platelet diameters and the megakaryocytes of the bone marrow (Feulgen stained cytophotometry and maturity of the megakaryocytes) were examined. 15 patients had a consumption coagulopathy and 30 were classified as having an isolated septic thrombocytopenia. In both groups the number of the megakaryocytes of the bone marrow smears were normal. 81% of the megakaryocytes were mature. The patient group with isolated septic thrombocytopenia had significantly greater ploidy values of the megakaryocytes than a control group. In both groups the diameters of the platelets were also significantly greater than in an age matched control group of children with a normal platelet count. These results allow the conclusion that the thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients with septicemia is not caused by a diminished production of platelets.