Incidence and time course of thrombocytopenia with abciximab and eptifibatide in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Thrombocytopenia is recognized as a potential adverse effect in patients treated with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. We monitored platelet counts at baseline and at 10 minutes and at 1, 8, and 24 hours after initiation of therapy with either abciximab (n = 74) or eptifibatide (n = 26) in a series of 100 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100,000 m3 occurred in 11 patients treated with abciximab (15%) and in none of those treated with eptifibatide. The inhibition of platelet adhesion to fibrinogen-coated material by abciximab and eptifibatide was similar, indicating that the reduction in platelet count with abciximab is unrelated to inhibition of platelet function.