Management of children with acute and chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is divided in an acute and chronic fo rm based on the duration of the disease. Persistence of thrombocytopenia fo r more than 6 months defines chronic ITP. The disease occurs in both childr en and adults with acute ITP as the predominant form of childhood and chron ic ITP occurring in approximately 20% of children and almost all adult pati ents. The diagnostic procedures and the therapeutic consequences are discus sed with respect to the many open and unresolved questions recently identif ied by a panel of pediatric and adult hematologists on behalf of The Americ an Society of Hematology. Research activities with identification of priori ties are important to better understand the disease resulting in an optimal evidence-based management of children and adults with ITP. (C) Elsevier Sc ience Ltd. All rights reserved.