Evaluation of prevalence, clinical spectrum and outcome of acute ITP in children in a tertiary care centre in Odisha, India

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura is one of the commonest bleeding disorders encountered in children between the ages of 2 to 10 years affecting both sexes. The objectives of the study were to collect the prospectively data including age, gender, bleeding type, platelet count and other laboratory tests, treatments, responses to treatment and outcomes in children with acute ITP from 1month to 14 years of age over a period of two years.Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics Shrirama Chandra Bhanj, Medical College and Hospital and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics, Cuttack during the period October 2011-Septmber 2013.Results: Total 36 cases of hospitalized acute ITP patients were studied out of 29200 cases. Prevalence of acute ITP was found to be 12.3 per 10,000 of all hospitalized children above 1 month. Male children outnumbered female children by Ratio 1.2. Past history of URTI was present in 78% of cases. Petechaie/purpura was the universal presenting features followed by Oral / Gum bleeding in 67% of cases. 8% of patient experienced clinical bleeding requiring blood transfusion and platelet transfusion. Mean duration of Hospital stay was 6.34 days. Maximum number of Patients (69%) had complete recovery and 14% each had persistent and chronic course.Conclusions: ITP is a common pediatrics disease presenting at any age with low morbidity and mortality. Most children with acute ITP recover in weeks to months. A long-term hospital based prospective study is suggested to know any significant risk factor in patient presenting with acute ITP.