Treatment of immune thrombocytopaenic purpura in childhood. A review of 146 patients.

Between 1969 and 1988, 146 children with immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) were seen in the outpatient clinic. The diagnosis was based upon an isolated thrombocytopaenia, without disseminated intravascular coagulation, splenomegaly or systemic disease and a normal bone marrow. Patients who required treatment (116/146) received either steroids (105/116) or IV gammaglobulins (IV-Ig) (11/116) as initial therapy. The long term outcome was similar in both groups. IV-Ig had the advantage to give a rapid increase in the platelet count without major side effects and to be very useful in chronic ITP either as maintenance therapy or as preparation for splenectomy.