Autoantibodies in chronic ITP.
Chronic ITP is a syndrome of destructive thrombocytopenia due in most cases to antiplatelet autoantibodies. In the present studies we have studied 74 patients with chronic ITP using a new immunobead assay. Of these, 59 (79.7%) had demonstrable platelet-associated autoantibodies: 48 against platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and 11 against glycoprotein Ib/IX. Plasma autoantibodies were studied in all patients and 32 (43.2%) had positive results; in each case the patient also had platelet-associated autoantibodies directed to the same antigen. We conclude that the majority of patients with chronic ITP have autoantibodies against platelet membrane glycoproteins and that the immunobead assay is a sensitive and reproducible method for their detection which is applicable to the routine hospital laboratory.
Tani
P
P
Department of Basic and Clinical Research, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA 92037.
Berchtold
P
P
McMillan
R
R
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D011696:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies