Thrombocytopenia secondary to iron deficiency anemia responding to iron therapy

A broad spectrum of diseases can cause anemia and thrombocytopenia. Some of these diseases are a hematological emergency; others are benign diseases, so early and accurate diagnosis is crucial in managing such patients. Usually, IDA is associated with thrombocytosis or normal platelets; however, in rare cases, IDA can be associated with thrombocytopenia; even though, thrombocytopenia that occurs with IDA responds to iron therapy. Iron therapy rarely causes transient thrombocytopenia per se. We are reporting an African female patient who is found to have thrombocytopenia secondary to iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and she responded to iron replacement therapy initially with a transient drop in platelets, followed by a rapid rise in platelets till platelets reached the normal level.
Iron deficiency anemia can be associated with thrombocytopenia. It should be thought of after ruling out other differential diagnosis. It responds to iron replacement therapy, which can cause a transient drop in platelets initially then normalize.