It is important to identify the safest and most cost effective strategies for providing platelet support that will achieve effective disease management without depleting platelet supplies. Informative clinical data have been provided concerning the platelet transfusion trigger. In contrast, the optimal quantity of platelets to be used per transfusion remains a highly controversial subject. No prospective platelet transfusion studies have been performed in which patients are randomized to an assigned platelet dose throughout their period of thrombocytopenia.