ITP-IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

Course overview

IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA (ITP) IS AN AUTOIMMUNE PATHOLOGY CHARACTERIZED BY A LOW PLATELET COUNT, PURPURA, AND HEMORRHAGIC EPISODES CAUSED BY ANTIPLATELET AUTOANTIBODIES. THE DIAGNOSIS IS TYPICALLY MADE BY THE EXCLUSION OF THE KNOWN CAUSES OF THROMBOCYTOPENIA. IGG AUTOANTIBODIES SENSITIZE THE CIRCULATING PLATELETS. IT LEADS TO ACCELERATED REMOVAL OF THESE CELLS BY ANTIGEN-PRESENTING CELLS (MACROPHAGES) OF THE SPLEEN, AND SOMETIMES THE LIVER OR OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE MONOCYTE-MACROPHAGE SYSTEM. BONE MARROW COMPENSATES THE PLATELET DESTRUCTION BY INCREASING PLATELET PRODUCTION. ITP MOST OFTEN OCCURS IN HEALTHY CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITHIN A FEW WEEKS FOLLOWING A VIRAL INFECTION. CERTAIN DRUGS CAN ALSO CAUSE IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM ITP. MOST CHILDREN HAVE SPONTANEOUS REMISSION WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS, AND SPLENECTOMY IS RARELY NEEDED. HOWEVER, YOUNG ADULTS RARELY HAVE SPONTANEOUS REMISSIONS NECESSITATING SPLENECTOMY WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AFTER DIAGNOSIS. ACCORDING TO CURRENT EVIDENCE, THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ITP AND OUTLINE AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TREATMENT APPROACH.