THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA AND RELAPSES - WHY DO CASE SERIESDIFFER

We examined the retrospective case series of the Italian Cooperative G roup to determine the incidence of relapses in TTP patients, Of 60 pat ients who have crossed the 10-year threshold from the first episode, o nly 9 (15%) relapsed during that period, a figure far lower than that reported recently, Such difference is hardly explainable on the basis of our current knowledge of the biological behaviour of TTP, Furthermo re, we unsuccessfully analyzed the treatment performed in each of our relapsed patients, in search of some element that could retrospectivel y predict the subsequent relapse. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.