Haema 2010; 1(2): 121-128
by Vasileios Perifanis, Vasileia Garypidou
Haematology Section, Second Propedeutic, Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokratio General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Abstract
Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an unusual disease, with an annual incidence approximately two to six cases per 100,000 population. Due to a lack of standardised critical for definition, outcome and terminology, it has been difficult to draw conclusive data on the incidence and prevalence of ITP. The current strongest estimate of the incidence of acute ITP in children is between 1.9 and 6.4 per 100,000 children/year. Estimates of the incidence of adult ITP are based primarily on studies from Denmark (2.7 per 100,000), the United Kingdom (1.6 to 3.9 per 100,000), and the United States (prevalence 9.5 per 100,000). The mean age of adults at diagnosis in Europe is 56 yrs and the incidence of ITP increases with age. Female predominance is seen primarily in middle-aged adults and is not evident in patients older than 60 years of age. Adult ITP is more likely to present a chronic course, compared to the childhood ITP. Spontaneous remissions continue to be reported in 5–11% of adult patients. In order to improve the understanding of the disease burden of ITP, future studies should include a clearly defined definition of ITP and focus on well-described source populations that are geographically and ethnically diverse.