title: Directions for research in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
abstract: All attendees participated in a round-table discussion regarding directions for research in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Suggested areas for study were grouped into five main areas: (i) improved classification of ITP identifying subsets of patients with differing clinical syndromes and response to treatment, and those more likely to have serious bleeding manifestations; identification of patients with reduced thrombopoiesis was emphasized; (ii) studies aimed at elucidating the aetiology and pathophysiology of ITP, with emphasis on distinctions between acute and chronic ITP and between patients responsive or refractory to therapy; these studies focused on measures of humoral and cellular immune dysregulation; (iii) studies of platelet function in ITP, with the intent of defining these abnormalities and correlating them with the clinical manifestations of the disease; (iv) new approaches to treatment, particularly of refractory patients; and (v) a miscellaneous group, which included development of an ITP registry, evaluation of the "burden" of disease, investigation of mood changes in ITP, etc. The discussion was not intended to be all-inclusive, but focused on the content of other talks in this symposium. It is hoped that some of these suggestions will be further developed for investigation in multicentre co-operative studies to improve the diagnosis, understanding and treatment of ITP.
authors.affiliation: St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Garvey
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elinder
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Blanchette
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic; D012106:Research