title: Prevalence and treatment of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura of childhood in Sweden.
abstract: The frequency and treatment of children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in Sweden were characterized using a national enquiry 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 age was calculated to be 4.6/100,000. The median age at the time of diagnosis 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. Steroids (43%) and intravenous immunoglobulin (25%) were most commonly used. Only two children were splenectomized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska Institute, Sachs' Children's Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedman
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Henter
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hedlund
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elinder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology