Why is ITP causing so much concern of late?
This is a relatively rare disease but since there are many ITP patients, it adds up to a big number. In Malaysia, an estimated 500 new cases are diagnosed each year and currently there are some 2,500 ITP patients in the country Thirty-five per cent of patients in ICU are thrombocytopenic (low platelet count) compared to five to 10 per cent in general wards. Patients with ITP experience excessive bruising and bleeding and, in some cases, serious haemorrhages that can be fatal. If ITP affects an estimated five per cent of any population, it is recognised as an medical emergency. Q: What causes ITP? A: The specific cause is unknown. Some cases appear after a viral or bacterial infection, after exposure to a toxin, or is associated to another underlying illness such as lupus or HIV. Since ITP is a disorder marked by increased platelet destruction, a malfunction of the human immune system may cause normal platelets and platelet-producing cells to be recognised as foreign. These are destroye
