BackgroundPrimary immune thrombocytopenia is a bleeding diathesis with an unknown etiology in predisposed individuals with immune disturbances. Although it is claimed that children and adults differ in clinical and laboratory aspects, few data exist to corroborate this observation. Our objective was to assess comparative data from children and adults with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia.
Design and MethodsClinical and laboratory data of 1,784 children and 340 adults were extracted from the Pediatric and Adult Registry on Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia. The registry represents a prospective cohort of children and adults with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia. Participating investigators registered their patients immediately after the diagnosis using a web based data transfer. Children aged under 16 years were compared with adults aged 16 years and over with descriptive statistical analyses.
ResultsThe presenting mean platelet count of children and adults was 18.1 and 25.4¥10 9 /L. Signs of bleeding were reported in 24% of children and in 23% of adults, and intracranial hemorrhage in 10 of 1,784 children and in 6 of 340 adults. Co-morbidity was observed in 3.9% of children and in 30% of adults. Bone marrow aspiration and laboratory tests (antinuclear antibodies, human immunodeficiency and hepatitis C virus) were performed more frequently in adults. Children and adults were followed with a 'watch and wait' strategy in 20% and in 29%, respectively. Immunoglobulins were used more frequently in children and corticosteroids in adults.
ConclusionsComparative data of children and adults with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia revealed similarities in presenting platelet counts and in bleeding, whereas differences occurred in co-morbidity, diagnostic procedures and therapy.Key words: immune thrombocytopenia, newly diagnosed, similarities, differences, comparative data. Group. Haematologica 2011;96(12):1831-1837. doi:10.3324/haematol.2011 This is an open-access paper.
Citation
Newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia in children and adults: a comparative prospective observational registry of the Intercontinental Cooperative Immune Thrombocytopenia Study Group
In the whole population, the early administration of rHuEPO induced a rise of reticulocyte counts, but not enough to reduce the transfusion requirement. The most severely ill infants (BW <800 g and phlebotomy losses >30 mL/kg) seemed to benefit from early use of rHuEPO, and this deserves additional study.
Age and score were main prognostic factors. Infants <1 year of age are a special group with a brief course and very high recovery rate that are not influenced by other prognostic factors. Definition of groups based on age and scoring could be useful to establish differential management guidelines. The cut-off value to define chronic ITP should be changed to 12 months.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.