title: Lupus anticoagulant in immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antibodies against phospholipid antigens (APA) have been demonstrated in adult idiopathic(immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), but their clinical and pathogenetic significance has remained elusive. Also there are no such studies available in pediatric ITP cases. In this study, the prevalence and clinical significance of APAs were investigated in pediatric patients with ITP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty newly diagnosed ITP patients (age 2-13 years) were prospectively studied. They were evaluated for the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients (27.5%) were LA positive at the time of diagnosis. No statistically significant differences were found between the LA-positive and LA-negative groups regarding gender, initial platelet counts, or response to methyl prednisolone therapy. After 6 months of follow up, 5 of the 11 LA-positive cases were still positive for LA. The frequency of LA positivity found in this pediatric age group was similar to that reported in adult patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In view of the fact that in adult patients with ITP, the persistent presence of APAs is an important risk factor for the development of antiphospholipid syndrome, the same may also hold true for pediatric ITP patients, and thus 'demands long term follow up for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. sumitradash2001@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sumitra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Marwaha
authors.forename: Sambit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohanty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor