title: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and severe ITP.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelets play an important role in inflammatory and immune responses. We report interstitial lung disease (ILD) developing during the acute phase of severe thrombocytopenia in 3 patients with severe refractory ITP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 3 cases with severe ITP who developed ILD in the course of refractory chronic ITP. The thrombocytopenia was severe in all cases. ILD was an incidental finding at the presentation and often misdiagnosed as lung infections. ILD was documented by lung biopsy in cases 1 and 2, supplemented by serial chest X-rays and/or CAT scan. As the ITP improved, ILD regressed in case 1, persisted in case 2, and progressed to advanced pulmonary fibrosis in case 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report an association of ILD with severe refractory ITP. ILD was detected in acute phase of platelet destruction, suggesting that platelet destruction may have triggered inflammation in the lung, leading to ILD.
authors: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Wallace H Coulter Platelet Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Fontana
authors: Lawrence L
authors: LL
authors: Horstman
authors: Elio
authors: E
authors: Donna
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Dudkiewicz
authors: Eugene R
authors: ER
authors: Ahn
authors: Yeon S
authors: YS
authors: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003613:Danazol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007249:Inflammation; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D003613:Danazol