Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in adults is usually achronic disease in which a low platelet count often causes mucocutaneousbleeding. ITP is a diagnosis of exclusion. Pseudothrombocytopeniaand such disorders as drug-induced thrombocytopenia, microangiopathicthrombocytopenia, bone marrow failure, and congenital thrombocytopeniamust be ruled out. The disorder can be primary (idiopathic)or secondary. Secondary ITP is associated with systemic lupuserythematosus, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoma, HIV infectionor full-blown AIDS, hepatitis C infection, and a variety ofother disorders.
Multiple mechanisms cause the thrombocytopenia in ITP, so thedisorder is likely to be heterogeneous.1 Over 50 years ago,Harrington . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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Dr. Bromberg is an associate professor of medicine and pharmacology at Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
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