what is the cure for ITP? how long should i take prednisolone .? is spelenectomy nessecary?

Answer 1

Platelets help make up human blood. They circulate through the blood vessels to help stop bleeding by clotting the blood. When platelet numbers are low, abnormal bruising and bleeding can occur. These symptoms occur in a condition known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or ITP. (Idiopathic means the cause is unknown and thrombocytopenia means a decrease in blood platelets.) The disease is caused by the body's immune system turning against itself. In ITP, the body produces a substance (antibody) that attaches to platelets. The spleen, which helps fight infections, attacks the platelets and destroys them. Physicians label the condition as ITP only after they have ruled out all known causes of the patient's low platelet count.

Cure for ITP is really treatment. If you are taking prednisolone that is the recommend treatment by your physican. I am sure you would be on it until your platelet count is at a safe level. Immunosuppressive drugs decrease the body's production of the antibody that attaches itself to platelets and leads to their destruction. A splenectomy is most commonly done for patients who have a low platelet count despite taking immunosuppressive drugs to keep the spleen from destroying blood platelets. Another course of action that doctors follow is administering immunoglobulin (IVGG - specially formulated antibody) intravenously to try to get a rapid increase in the platelet count. Chemo is another course of action.

Answer 2

Initial treatmentof ITP is with PREDNISOLONE ... You should conitnue to take prednisolone until the platelet count returns to normal and the dose should be gradually tapered ( decreased ).. In most, THROMBOCYTOPENIA will recur if prednisone is completely withdrawn so one should aim to find a minimal dose that will maintain an adequate platelet count.. It is not necessary for the platelet count to be entirely normal , the risk of bleeding is small with platelet counts above 50,000.
SPLENECTOMY is the most definitive treatment for ITP and most adults patients will ultimately undergo splenectomy..
High dose prednisolone therapy should not be continued in-definetely in an attempt to avoid surgery.
Splenectomy is indicated if patients do not respond to prednisolone initially or require unacceptably high doses to maintain adequate platelet level.
Splenectomy can be safely performed even with the platelet count less than 10,000.. 80% of patients benefit from splenectomy..

The prognosis for remission is GOOD. In most cases the disease is controlled by prednisolone , and SPLENECTOMY offers definitive therapy.