title: A prospective comparative study of 2540 infants and children with newly diagnosed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) from the Intercontinental Childhood ITP Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze prospectively the impact of age at diagnosis in childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
  
  
  METHODS
  International registry from June 1997 to May 2001, with analysis of data from baseline and 6-month-follow-up questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 2540 patients were analyzed, including 203 infants (7.6%), 1860 children > or =1 to <10 years of age (69.1%), and 477 children and adolescents between > or =10 and <16 years of age (17.7%). The mean platelet count at diagnosis was similar in all three groups, as was the percentage of patients with initial platelet count <20x10(9)/L. The male/female ratio was highest in infants and decreased with age (P=.009). Immunoglobulin therapy was used more often in infants and corticosteroids in patients > or =10 years of age. Follow-up information at 6 months was available for 1742 children (68.6%). Chronic ITP was seen less frequently in infants (23.1%) than in children >10 years of age (47.3%, P<.0001). Intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 3 of 1742 children during the first 6 months after the diagnosis of ITP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric patients with ITP from infancy to adolescence exhibit heterogeneity in clinical, demographic, and treatment factors.
authors: Division of Oncology/Hematology, University Children's Hospital, Basel, Switzerland. Thomas.Kuehne@hin.ch
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Kühne
authors: George R
authors: GR
authors: Buchanan
authors: Sherri
authors: S
authors: Zimmerman
authors: Lisa A
authors: LA
authors: Michaels
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Kohan
authors: Willi
authors: W
authors: Berchtold
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Imbach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous