title: Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP): site of platelet sequestration and results of splenectomy. A study of 197 patients.
abstract: 51Cr-platelet kinetics study was performed in 197 patients with chronic ITP after corticosteroid therapy had failed to induce a long lasting remission. The incidence of splenic, spleno-hepatic, hepatic and diffuse platelet sequestration site was 58%, 17%, 6% and 19%, respectively. Splenic and spleno-hepatic sequestration sites were more frequent in patients less than 30 years old and in patients with a platelet count lower than 50 x 10(9)/1. 111 patients were splenectomized shortly after the study. Normalization of the platelet count was obtained more frequently in patients with splenic and spleno-hepatic sequestration than in the others. Labelled platelet sequestration site was the best predictor of the outcome of splenectomy. Platelet kinetics is a non-invasive investigation that should be performed early after the diagnosis of chronic ITP in all patients eligible for splenectomy.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011696:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D013156:Splenectomy
chemical_list: D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes