PREVALENCE AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA OF CHILDHOOD IN SWEDEN

The frequency and treatment of children with chronic idiopathic thromb ocytopenic purpura in Sweden were characterized using a national enqui ry based on a questionnaire. Seventy-five children diagnosed as having chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura on 1 September 1993 were identified. The prevalence in children between 0.5 and 15.5 years of a ge was calculated to be 4.6/100 000. The median age at the time of dia gnosis was 5 years and the male/female ratio was 1:1.2. Almost half of the patients (43%) were not treated at all during the disease. Steroi ds (43%) and intravenous immunoglobulin (25%) were most commonly used. Only two children were splenectomized.