Implementing pre-procedural thrombopoietin receptor agonists in cirrhotic patients with severe thrombocytopenia: Indiscriminate, selective or unneeded?

Recent studies promote thrombopoietin-receptor agonists (TRAs), instead of platelet transfusions, before elective invasive procedures in patients with cirrhosis and platelet count below 50 × 109/L [ 1 Afdhal N.H. Giannini E.G. Tayyab G. et al. Eltrombopag before procedures in patients with cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia. N Engl J Med. 2012; 367: 716-724 Crossref PubMed Scopus (214) Google Scholar , 2 Hidaka H. Kurosaki M. Tanaka H. et al....