Splenectomy and spontaneous remission in children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2006 Oct 15;47(5 Suppl):737-9. doi: 10.1002/pbc.20982.

Abstract

Two hundred thirty of 696 evaluable children were identified as having chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Splenectomy was performed in 30 (13%), achieving remission in 22 (73%). Favorable response was associated to higher initial platelet count. Spontaneous remission was achieved by 53/200 non-splenectomized patients (26.5%), up to 10 years from diagnosis. More than half of them recovered between 6th and 12th month from diagnosis. The recovery rate was significantly higher (P=0.03) in children aged<9 years (31.2%) than in older children (14.6%). No reliable factor predictive of response in individual cases is still available.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chronic Disease
  • Databases, Factual
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care*
  • Platelet Count
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / diagnosis
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / surgery*
  • Remission Induction
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Splenectomy*
  • Treatment Outcome