Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. A review and report of 42 cases from South India.

In the 14 year period from June, 1966 to June, 1980, 42 cases of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia have been diagnosed, all fulfilling the criteria of prolonged bleeding time, with normal venous platelet count, defective clot retraction and decreased platelet aggregation, associated with a lifelong bleeding tendency. Few cases have been reported from India though it is the fourth most common congenital bleeding disorder among the patients seen at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore. The large number of such cases found in South India as compared with reports from other parts of the world may be due to the high degree of consanguinity which is part of the accepted culture in this area. Reliable diagnosis of this condition is possible with fairly simple laboratory procedures.