What is Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

What is Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Reduced blood platelets causing visible skin blemishes from bleeding or bruising.
• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Thrombocytopenia occurring in the absence of toxic exposure or a disease associated with decreased platelets. It is mediated by immune mechanisms, in most cases IMMUNOGLOBULIN G autoantibodies which attach to platelets and subsequently undergo destruction by macrophages. The disease is seen in acute (affecting children) and chronic (adult) forms.
  Source - Diseases Database

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, or a subtype of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Name and Aliases of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Main name of condition: Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

ITP

Werlhof disease, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura Source - Diseases Database

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Thrombocytopenic purpura, autoimmune, Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Types of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura:

Subtypes of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Idiopathic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Secondary Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Acute thrombocytopenic purpura, Chronic thrombocytopenic purpura
Parent types of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Autoimmune diseases, Blood conditions, Purpura

Organs Affected by Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura:

blood

How many people get Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Prevalance of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: rare.

Who gets Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Patient Profile for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Acute ITP more common in children, often after a virus. Chronic ITP more common in adults.
Gender Profile for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Acute ITP equally boys or girls; chronic ITP more common in women 2-1 than men.

How serious is Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Prognosis of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Acute ITP: 85% of children recover within 1 year and have no remissions.
Complications of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: see complications of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

What causes Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Class of Condition for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: autoimmune
Causes of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: see causes of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Can anyone else get Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Hematologists ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura.
Treatments for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: see treatments for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura