Normal human platelet counts range from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microlitre of blood. Thrombocytopenia is the presence of too few platelets.
Decreased platelet counts may be due to different pathological processes, however, quantification of platelets associated with immunoglobulins allows the cause of thrombocytopenia to be related to a decrease in platelet production or an increase in the rate of platelet destruction.