General Information About ITP Disease
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a condition where platelet cells, responsible for stopping bleeding, are perceived as an enemy by the body's own immune system and destroyed in the spleen, causing their numbers to fall to dangerous levels.
Spontaneous bruising on the skin without trauma, pinhead-sized red rashes on the legs (petechiae), unstoppable nosebleeds, bleeding gums, and excessively long/heavy menstrual bleeding in women.
The exact cause is unknown. However, in children, it usually begins as an antibody response developed by a confused immune system a few weeks after a simple viral infection (like the flu).
ITP in children usually has an acute course and resolves completely within a few months, either without treatment or with short-term therapy. In adults, it mostly turns into a chronic lifelong disease.
It is suspected when red and white blood cells are completely normal in a Complete Blood Count (Hemogram), but the platelet count is extremely low (often below 20,000). A bone marrow biopsy may be performed to rule out leukemia.
Cortisone (steroid) pills are used for mild bleeding. If there is severe and urgent bleeding, high-dose Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is given intravenously. In chronic patients resistant to drugs, the spleen, where platelets are destroyed, may be surgically removed (splenectomy).
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
