ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura) is a rare blood disease in which blood does not clot properly due to the low platelet count. ITP, a rare blood disease, affects about one in every 50,000 people each year, 2.4 times more common in women than in men. However, it does not show gender distinction in older age. According to a recent study, ITP negatively affects the quality of life of patients.
Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP), which causes blood to clot correctly and maintain the integrity of blood vessels and is caused by the high destruction and deterioration of production of blood cells called platelets, is defined as a rare autoimmune disease.
When platelet counts are very low, it can cause bleeding (bruises) on the skin and internal bleeding that can be life-threatening.
However, the frequency of dangerous bleeding is rare. In diagnosis, other diseases that may cause a decrease in platelet count should be eliminated. Both the community and health workers should be informed in order for ITP to cause bleeding and reduce the quality of life.
Studies on Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura
ITP, which affects approximately one in every 50,000 adults each year, is 2.4 times higher in adult women than in men, while the incidence of ITP annually is 3.3 per 100,000 in adulthood in the UNITED States; 5.3 in childhood.
ITP, which is defined as a non-genetic and benign disease, develops after viral infections due to drug use or only for rheumatic reasons, while the majority of patients do not have a cause (Primary ITP).
Symptoms can often be seen in the form of petechias caused by bleeding into the skin and rashes that do not fade with a red-purple color called sow (caries). Apart from this, while life-threatening bleeding is not frequently seen, the lower the platelet count, the greater the incidence and severity of bleeding.
Due to the more common ITP in women, a wide range of bleeding can be observed, from increased menstrual bleeding, nosebleeds or mucosal bleeding in the mouth to gastric bowel bleeding. In older age, gender is not discriminated against.
After diagnosis, Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura patients may be in one of the acute stages (0-3 months), permanent stage (3-12 months) or chronic stage (12 months or longer), each with its own potential duration, but it can also be seen frequently during pregnancy. While it can be easily detected during routine pregnancy follow-up, patients can often give birth without treatment and without problems.
While emphasizing that the patient’s arrival complaint, which is decisive in the treatment of ITP, is the accompanying chronic diseases and the medications he/she should use and the number of platelets in the blood count, they stated that it is not necessary to give treatment to ITP patients at all times and that the number of platelets can increase spontaneously in some patients with incurable follow-up.
The treatment for each patient and the targeted platelet number should be personal and started with cortisone-containing treatments in primary care.
Experts say that in case of bleeding, a serum treatment derived from the blood called immunoglobulin is used, and in case of failure, alternative therapies such as spleen removal operation (splenectomy), hormone stimulating platelet production (tPO), immunotherapy-monoclonal antibody therapy are also available.
Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura is a benign disease, but it can become chronic
Stating that the main goal of the treatment is to increase the number of platelets to a healthy and safe level, the experts emphasized that if Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura treatment is required, the treatment should be tailored for each patient and that the patient should talk to his physician to get information about the risks and benefits associated with each treatment option.
Stressing that the goal of the treatment is to suppress this unnecessary overreaction in the immune system, the experts continued:
“In treatment management, the relationship between the patient and the physician should be established intact, it is important to cooperate in this disease, which is benign but can become chronic and affects the quality of life.
First of all, I would like to remind you that this disease is not a malignant disease and that a malignant picture is not expected to develop in the future due to this disease. It’s not leukemia. It’s a benign disease. However, although it is benign, it is often a chronic disease, especially in adulthood. It can follow in attacks or resistance to treatments may develop.
Sesame derivatives are the only product associated with platelet count in terms of nutrition. Apart from this, there is no product to recommend avoiding/frequently consuming in the diet. Listen to your physician’s recommendations during the medications used.”
“Take care to eat unsalted and exercise to protect your muscles, especially during cortisone-based treatments. Avoid herbal products in terms of drug interactions.”
Determining the correct treatment and using the drug in accordance with the prescription helps the patient manage chronic ITP and keep their platelets at a healthy level, the experts said.
In cases where platelet counts are extremely low, it may be necessary to hospitalize the patient and apply these treatments under the control of a doctor in order to prevent bleeding and to increase the platelet count to a safe level in terms of bleeding rather than normalizing it.”
Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura negatively affects patients’ life quality
While the possibility of decreased platelet counts can cause emotional distress, other difficulties associated with ITP include fatigue, impaired ability to work, low libido and a feeling of shame due to visible symptoms of the disease.
The 23rd edition of the 2016 Edition in Stockholm, Sweden, was held in Stockholm, Sweden. According to the interim results of the research I-WISH, presented at the European Society of Hematology (EHA) Congress, many patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) stated that their daily quality of life was negatively affected by this disease.
The I-WISH study, conducted with global ITP specialists and patient groups, aims to reveal the effects of the disease on daily life and the perceptions of patients regarding the treatment and management of this disease.
The interim results of the survey of more than 1,300 ITP patients, which included ITP cases, revealed that patients were concerned that their daily quality of life would be affected by ITP, with more than a third (36 percent) of patients saying that ITP had a high impact on their emotional well-being, while 28 percent of patients said they had lost their workday due to symptoms of the disease.
The study, which involved two-thirds female patients, found different effects associated with ITP, such as fatigue associated with ITP (e.g. anxiety [80 percent]), affecting daily life, inability to exercise (100 percent), effects on the study (e.g. absence [40 percent]), financial effects (e.g. working hours [40 percent]) and social effects (e.g. relationship with family members [60 percent]).