Concomitant Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Crohn’s Disease

The coexistence of immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and Crohn’s disease (CD) is rare. We performed a review of cases of concomitant ITP and CD in the English and Japanese literature. Among 17 identified cases of concomitant ITP and CD, ITP was initially diagnosed in four cases and CD was initially diagnosed first in six cases. Simultaneous diagnoses were reported in the remaining seven cases. No fatalities were reported in any of the 17 cases. However, resistance or transient responses to standard therapies, such as glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and splenectomy for the treatment of ITP were reported in a number of concomitant cases. Moreover, the administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antibodies was a commonly considered pharmacological therapy in cases of concomitant ITP and CD.