Klin Padiatr 2010; 222(6): 337-339
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1265161
Invited Commentary

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

When a Child with Immune Thrombocytopenia Experiences Life-threatening Bleeding

Wenn ein Kind mit Thrombozytopenie lebensbedrohlich blutetP. Imbach1
  • 1Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, University Children's Hospital Basel, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
05 November 2010 (online)

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a rare disorder with an incidence rate of 4–6 newly diagnosed children/100,000 per year. Life-threatening bleeding, i. e. intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), is roughly estimated in 1:750 children with ITP. In registry 1 of the intercontinental cooperative ITP study (ICIS) group, 3 of 2071 evaluable children with ITP were reported as having ICH during the first 12 months after diagnosis. In addition, there is an obscure ICH figure.

The investigator of a child with severe ITP is confronted with a heterogenous disorder with multiple unanswered questions such as what is behind the pathophysiology of ITP and ICH, can ICH be prevented and how should severe bleeding in ITP be managed. In addition, the hematologists have to consider how to proceed with clinical and laboratory research in this bleeding disorder with peripheral platelet destruction.

This issue of Klinische Pädiatrie includes 2 patient reports [14] [24], a new approach regarding prognostic platelet count/bleeding severity [18] and a report of partial spleen embolization [1]. These articles and questions are the basis of the following comments.

References

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Correspondence

Prof. Dr. Paul Imbach

Email: paul.imbach@unibas.ch

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