What is ITP?

I‘m Too Precious. Idiots Take Peyote. It’s Totally Problematic. I Throw Poodles.

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I’ve found that one of the most frustrating things about having this disorder is trying to explain it. When I attempt to do so, I usually end up feeling like a major hypochondriac/whiner/pansy/etcetera, because it’s such a lengthy and involved explanation.  

In layman’s terms, ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura) is an autoimmune disorder that causes your body to treat the platelets in your blood as “foreign” and destroy them. Platelets are cells in your blood that cause it to clot properly.  

The ITP Foundation features a great explanation/summary of the disorder on the  “Info About ITP” page on their official website, which I found to be concise and easy to understand:

“Immune refers to the immune system’s involvement in this disorder. Antibodies, part of the body’s immunologic defense against infection, attach to blood platelets, cells that help stop bleeding, and cause their destruction. Thrombocytopenia refers to decrease in blood platelets. Purpura refers to the purplish-looking areas of the skin and mucous membranes (such as the lining of the mouth) where bleeding has occurred as a result of decreased platelet.

Some cases of ITP are caused by drugs and others are associated with infection, pregnancy, or immune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus. About half of all cases are classified as “idiopathic,” meaning the cause is unknown.

…A low platelet count will establish thrombocytopenia as the cause of purpura. Often the next procedure is a bone marrow examination to verify that there are adequate platelet-forming cells (megakaryocyte) in the marrow and to rule out other diseases such as metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread to the bone marrow) and leukemia (cancer of the blood cells themselves). Another blood sample may be drawn to check for other conditions sometimes associated with thrombocytopenia such as lupus and infection.

Acute (temporary) thrombocytopenic purpura is most commonly seen in young children. Boys and girls are equally affected. Symptoms often, but do not necessarily, follow a viral infection. About 85 percent of children recover within 1 year and the problem doesn’t return. 

Thrombocytopenic purpura is considered chronic when it has lasted more than 6 months. The onset of illness may be at any age. Adults more often have the chronic disorder and females are affected two to three times more than males. The onset of illness may be at any age. ”