Controversy
Many experts regard the bleeding time as useless, in that it does not predict surgical bleeding. Articles supporting this view are often presented by pathologists. Despite such articles (e.g., Peterson et al: The Postoperative Bleeding time Lacks Clinical Benefit; Arch Surg. 1998;133:134-139), the bleeding time continues to be used by many clinicians, primarily surgeons.
| Condition | Prothrombin time | Partial thromboplastin time | Bleeding time | Platelet count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin K deficiency or warfarin | Prolonged | Normal or mildly prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected |
| Disseminated intravascular coagulation | Prolonged | Prolonged | Prolonged | Decreased |
| Von Willebrand disease | Unaffected | Prolonged | Prolonged | Decreased and/or Rejected |
| Hemophilia | Unaffected | Prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected |
| Aspirin | Unaffected | Unaffected | Prolonged | Unaffected |
| Thrombocytopenia | Unaffected | Unaffected | Prolonged | Decreased |
| Liver failure, early | Prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected | Unaffected |
| Liver failure, end-stage | Prolonged | Prolonged | Prolonged | Decreased |
| Uremia | Unaffected | Unaffected | Prolonged | Unaffected |
| Congenital afibrinogenemia | Prolonged | Prolonged | Prolonged | Unaffected |
| Factor V deficiency | Prolonged | Prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected |
| Factor X deficiency as seen in amyloid purpura | Prolonged | Prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected |
| Glanzmann's thrombasthenia | Unaffected | Unaffected | Prolonged | Unaffected |
| Bernard-Soulier syndrome | Unaffected | Unaffected | Prolonged | Decreased or unaffected |
| Factor XII deficiency | Unaffected | Prolonged | Unaffected | Unaffected |
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