Platelet destruction in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is due either to antibody against platelet-associated antigen(s) that attaches by the antigen-specific Fab portion of the molecule or to platelet-bound immune complexes that bind nonspecifically to a platelet Fc receptor. Since pepsin digestion destroys the Fc fragment, the effect of this agent on platelet binding should allo...

Diagnostic evaluation and management in childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) are controversial. We reviewed the files of 162 children with ITP to evaluate clinical characteristics, response to treatment and outcome. History of antecedent infection, vaccination and serologic evidence for acute viral infection were present in 48%, 5% and 17% of the patients, respectively. At diagnosis,...

Several studies have indicated that platelet recovery occurs in a subgroup of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients after successful Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) eradication. Interestingly, a higher response rate to H pylori eradication therapy has been reported in Japan and Italy than in the United States and European countries other than Italy, suggesting that the efficacy of H pylori erad...

Membrane phosphorylation and nucleoside triphosphatase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle were studied using ATP and ITP as substrates. The Ca2+ concentration was varied over a range large enough to saturate either the high affinity Ca2+-binding site or both high and low affinity binding sites. In intact vesicles, which are able to accumulate Ca2+, ...

BACKGROUND Rituximab has been widely used off-label as a second line treatment for children with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). However, its role in the management of pediatric ITP requires clarification. To understand and interpret the available evidence, we conducted a systematic review to assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab for children with ITP. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We s...

BACKGROUND We previously reported that an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay for detecting anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibody-secreting B cells is a sensitive method for identifying patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Here we assessed the clinical significance of measuring circulating B cells producing antibodies to GPIb, another major platelet autoantigen. METHODS Anti-GPIb and anti-GPI...

Fig. 1. Platelet count after alemtuzumab treatment. Successful treatment of steroid-refractory immune thrombocytopenia with alemtuzumab TO THE EDITOR: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an immune-mediated disease characterized by an isolated decrease in platelet count. There are multiple mechanisms underlying this disease, including autoantibodies against platelet membrane proteins and impaired p...

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is typically a diagnosis of exclusion, assigned by clinicians after ruling out other identifiable etiologies. Since a report by Gasbarrini et al. in 1998, an accumulating body of evidence has proposed a pathophysiological link between ITP and chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Clinical reports have described a spontaneous resolution of I...