Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

Alternative names:

immune thrombocytopenic purpura; ITP

Treatment:

In children, the disease often runs its course without treatment.

In adults, initial treatment with prednisone is given. A splenectomy (removal of the spleen) is indicated if the person does not respond to prednisone. The spleen is the major site of platelet destruction, so a splenectomy will resolve the thrombocytopenia in most people.

Other treatments (when the disease does not respond to initial treatment) are oral danazol, high dose gamma globulin injections, drugs that suppress the immune system, and passage of the blood over a Protein A (Prosorba) column (which filters antibodies out of the blood stream).

People with ITP should avoid taking aspirin or ibuprofen, because bleeding may occur.

Expectations (prognosis):

The chance of remission (a symptom-free period) is good with prednisone or a splenectomy. Rarely, ITP may become a chronic ailment in adults and reappear even after remission.

Complications:

• severe bleeding
• bleeding into the brain or loss of blood into the digestive tract

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if severe bleeding occurs or other new symptoms develop.