以血液系统损害为首发症状的儿童系统性红斑狼疮

目的探讨以血液系统改变为首发或主要表现的儿童SLE的临床特点、治疗方案及预后。方法对2005年6月-2011年6月收治以血液系统改变为主并最终确诊为SLE的38例患儿进行回顾性分析。其血液学改变按白细胞改变、贫血及血小板减少进行分析,并随访6～40个月。结果本组患儿血液系统改变中贫血28例(73.7%)、白细胞改变24例(63.2%)、血小板减少15例(39.5%),距确诊SLE的平均时间为8.5(0～24)个月。针对患儿不同症状选择免疫治疗,本组30例患儿SLE基本无活动,6例轻度活动,2例中度活动,无重度活动。15例PLT减少患儿中10例恢复正常,5例PLT维持在安全水平,8例已停药观察。16例自身免疫性溶血性贫血患儿中13例未再出现溶血发作,死亡1例;另2例患儿间断有轻度溶血发作。2例SLE相关再生障碍性贫血治疗显效。1例SLE相关纯红细胞再生障碍性贫血得到有效控制。结论儿童SLE很隐匿,初期常表现为血液系统损害,值得重视,对治疗效果欠佳患儿或青春期前后女童应警惕SLE,延长随访期限,评估病情以选择治疗方案和疗程。     

Platelet-associated immunoglobulin G in childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Platelet-associated IgG was studied in children with acute and chronic ITP and in patients with thrombocytopenic SLE, using the microtiter solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Of the children with acute ITP, 85% had elevated PAIgG levels. The degree of elevation of PAIgG at onset of disease did not correlate with the development of chronicity. Of the children with acute ITP, clinically and hematologically indistinguishable from the rest, 15% had normal PAIgG values. All of 22 children with chronic ITP had elevated PAIgG values. Although there was good correlation between the platelet count and the PAIgG value in children with chronic ITP, the association was not as striking in those with acute ITP; thus, factors in addition to the level of PAIgG may contribute to the thrombocytopenia in the latter group. Patients with SLE and thrombocytopenia had higher values of PAIgG than would be predicted from the platelet count; the PAIgG value is probably not the only factor determining the degree of immune thrombocytopenia.     

Thrombocytopenic syndromes masquerading as childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia in children and adolescents. However, there are a number of other diagnoses that are often mistaken for ITP. A 10-year retrospective chart review was performed at the Children's Hospital of Alabama to characterize ITP. Initially, 492 patients who had the coded diagnosis of ITP (ICD 287.3) were identified. However, 83 (17%) of patients were found to have alternative diagnoses on chart review. Of the 83 patients, 13 patients (3%) represented coding errors or study classification errors. The 70 remaining patients (14%) had an alternative explanation for their thrombocytopenia, consisting of 31 different diagnoses. The most common diagnoses were familial thrombocytopenia (10%), systemic lupus erythematosus (9%), hypersplenism (9%), neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (7%), Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (7%), or systemic infection (6%). In total, 16 of the patients (23%) were ultimately diagnosed with one of a number of congenital syndromes with concurrent thrombocytopenia. Although this review confirms that most children with thrombocytopenia are diagnosed with ITP, 14% of the study population manifested other diagnoses. The clinician evaluating a child with thrombocytopenia must keep an open mind about the possible diagnosis and perform a comprehensive and thoughtful evaluation based on the clinical picture. ITP must be a diagnosis of exclusion as misdiagnosis in a child with thrombocytopenia may have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality.     

121例儿童系统性红斑狼疮血液系统受累及免疫学特征分析

目的 分析儿童系统性红斑狼疮(jSLE)血液系统受累特征及免疫学指标相关性,以提高对疾病的认识.方法 回顾性分析2012年5月至2019年8月期间浙江大学医学院附属儿童医院风湿免疫过敏科初诊住院诊断为jSLE 121例患儿临床及实验室资料.结果 121例患儿中合并血液学异常112例(92.6％).以血液学异常为首发症状...     

Thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a French collaborative study.

A retrospective study was undertaken of 120 children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) seen in Paris and its immediate suburbs who fulfilled at least four of the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria for SLE, and in whom the disease was diagnosed before the age of 16 and between January 1975 and December 1987. Eleven of these children (eight girls and three boys) all more than 10 years of age (mean follow up 8.1 years; range 3-13) had thrombotic episodes (9%). Thrombosis was one of the presenting signs in seven patients; in five it was associated with typical symptoms of SLE, and in the other two the thrombotic episode was isolated and diagnosis of SLE was delayed one and three years. Of a total of 16 thrombotic episodes (six of which were recurrent), 14 involved the leg veins, and in four there was associated pulmonary embolism. There were two episodes that affected cerebral arteries. The American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria for SLE as well as the incidence of lupus anticoagulant, positive direct Coombs test, and vasculitis in this group of patients was compared with the incidence in patients with SLE but no thrombosis. Only lupus anticoagulant was significantly associated with thrombotic episodes: eight of 11 (73%) of patients with SLE and thrombotic (arterial or venous) episodes had lupus anticoagulant compared with only 10 of 74 patients (14%) with no history of thrombotic events in the same age group.     

早期诊断和监测系统性红斑狼疮患儿活动性人类巨细胞病毒感染的研究

目的：了解系统性红斑狼疮（systemic lupus erythematosus,SLE)患儿活动性人类巨细胞病毒（human cytomegalovirus,HCMV)感染的状况,并比较不同实验室检测方法的诊断价值,方法：实验组观察了２１例初诊为ＳＬＥ并接受免疫抑制治疗的患儿,对照组观察了２１例免疫力正常的骨科患儿,治疗前后应用间接免疫荧光法检测外周自多形核白细胞（polymorphonuclear leukocytes,PMNLs）中的ＨＣＭＶpp65抗原和p７２抗原,ＰＣＲ方法检测血清中的ＨＣＭＶＤＮＡ,ＥＬＩＳＡ方法检测血清中的ＨＣＭＶＩgM和ＩgG抗体,结果,实验组活动性ＨＣＭＶ感染发生率为２９％（６／２１）,４例发生于免疫抑制治疗后,另外２例发生免疫抑制治疗前,对照组无１例发生活动性感染,两组相比差异有显著性（Ｐ＝０．０２７）,实验组各项实验室检测的阳性率分别为:pp6524%(5/21),p7214%(3/21),DNA43%(9/21),IgM10%(2/21),IgG91%(19/21).实验组各项实验室检测方法诊断活动性ＨＣＭＶ感染的敏感性分别为：pp6583%(5/6),p7250%(3/6),NDA100%(6/6),IgM33%(2/6),IgG(双份血清抗体滴度呈≥４倍增高）５０％（３／６）,特异性ＰＣＲ方法为８０％（１２／１５）外,其余均为１００％（１５／１５）,结论：ＳＬＥ患儿活动性ＨＣＭＶ感染发生率较免疫力正常的儿童显著增高,免疫抑制治疗前后可发生,ＨＣＭＶpp65抗原血症检测是早期诊断和监测ＳＬＥ患儿活动性ＨＣＭＶ感染的较好指标。     

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??Objective The aim of this study was to summarize the clinical features in children with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus??NPSLE?? and to investigate the related risk factors of in systemic lupus erythematosus??SLE?? patients with NPSLE. Methods The clinical data of 14 children with NPSLE were retrospectively analyzed. The indicators including the age?? sex?? clinical manifestations?? laboratory tests were compared with 31 randomly selected SLE patients with non-NPSLE manifestations by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results The main clinical manifestations in children with NPSLE were headache??50%????lateral type motor disorder??50%????mental disorders??35.7%????epilepsy??35.7%????involuntary movement ??14.29%????blurred vision??14.29%?? etc. 13 patients had abnormalities in brain MRI. Univariate analysis showed that children with oral ulcers??blood lymphopenia??thrombocytopenia??elevated CRP??anticardiolipin antibodies positive??antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive??anti-u1-RNP antibody positive??urine red blood cells increased??elevated serum K+ elevated??blood urea nitrogen??elevated serum creatinine were the risk factors with statistical significance. Further non-selective multivariate regression analysis showed that only the anticardiolipin antibody positive?? elevated CRP?? elevated serum creatinine into the multiple regression equation?? a positive correlation. Conclusion Headache?? movement disorders?? mental disorders and seizures were the most common symptoms in children with NPSLE. The brain MRI is a sensitive indicator of checking NPSLE. Anticardiolipin antibody positive?? elevated CRP and elevated serum creatinine were the most important risk factor for SLE children with NPSLE.     

Confirming or excluding the diagnosis of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome in children with thrombocytopenia of an unknown etiology

Early diagnosis is an important factor in a better prognosis in patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), but it is not always easy to distinguish between WAS and immune thrombocytopenic purpura on clinical grounds. To confirm or to exclude a WAS diagnosis promptly for children with thrombocytopenia, the authors performed flow cytometric screening of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) for 10 children with thrombocytopenia of an unknown etiology. Five children were diagnosed with WAS, and the remaining 5 were diagnosed as having non-WAS causes of thrombocytopenia. There were no ambiguous results, and these were confirmed by genetic analysis. The authors conclude that screening by flow cytometry for WASP is recommended for boys with persistent thrombocytopenia of an unknown etiology.     

Rhupus arthropathy as the presenting manifestation in Juvenile SLE: a case report

An 8.5-year-old girl was referred with swelling of both knees lasting for two years. ANA was found as negative. She was diagnosed as oligoarticular JIA. After two years of follow-up, thrombocytopenia was detected during routine screening. Her ANA and anti ds-DNA antibodies also became positive, with low levels of C3 and C4. She was diagnosed as Juvenile SLE, meeting the criteria cytopenia, positive immunoserology (anti dsDNA), positive ANA test, and four years of ongoing chronic arthritis, so called as "rhupus arthropathy". We should be aware of the several initial incomplete presentations of lupus in children. We should be careful in monitoring the serious manifestations of the disease in juvenile lupus patients with rhupus arthropathy, and consider the poor response to standard disease modifying agents.     

狼疮抗凝集物检测在系统性红斑狼疮、原发性血小板减少症中的临床应用

目的通过对系统性红斑性狼疮(SLE)310例和原发性血小板减少症(ITP)249例狼疮抗凝集物(LAC)和抗心磷脂抗体亚型(aCL-IgG、IgM、IgA)的测定,研究其与SLE临床表现的关系及LAC在ITP转归中的意义。方法采用脑磷脂-白陶土法(KCCT)及校正试验检测患儿血浆LAC;采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)测定息儿血清aCL-IgG,IgM、IgA。结果SLE 组中,66.1%显示体内存在高含量LAC,其中45.9%并狼疮肾炎;46.8?L抗体升高,其中90.2%为IgG和(或)IgM,分别有46.9%和11.7%是狼疮并中枢神经系统及血液系统病变。ITP组105例LAC阳性患儿中36.2%经抗核抗体(ANA)检测确诊为SLE,7.6%在2个月-2.4年后发展为SLE。结论LAC和aCL抗体亚型的水平与SLE临床表现密切相关,LAC在狼疮并肾脏病变中为优势病理性自身抗体;aCL抗体亚型的水平则与狼疮性血栓性血管炎性病变有相关关系。对单纯患有ITP的患儿应进行LAC动态观察,可及早确定疾病的转归。     

The use of low molecular weight heparin in pediatric patients: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE: Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) offer several advantages over standard anticoagulant therapy (unfractionated heparin/warfarin) including predictable pharmacokinetics, minimal monitoring, and subcutaneous administration. Our objective was to determine the safety and efficacy of LMWHs in children. METHODS: A prospective cohort of children treated with the LMWH enoxaparin (Rhone Poulenc Rorer) was monitored at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, from March 1994 until July 1997. RESULTS: There were 146 courses of LMWH administered for treatment and 31 courses for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events (TEs). Clinical resolution of TEs occurred in 94% of children receiving therapeutic doses of LMWH, and 96% of children receiving prophylactic doses of LMWH had no symptoms of recurrent or new TEs. Major bleeding occurred in 5% of children receiving therapeutic doses. Recurrent or new TEs occurred in 1% and 3% of children receiving therapeutic and prophylactic doses of LMWH, respectively. CONCLUSION: LMWH appears to be efficacious and safe for both management and prophylaxis of TEs. The results of this cohort study justify a randomized controlled trial comparing LMWH with standard therapy for the management of TEs in children.     

Thrombocytopenia and human immunodeficiency virus in children

Thrombocytopenia occurs in 13% of children with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The clinical and laboratory course of 19 children infected with HIV with thrombocytopenia is described. Bone marrow aspirates showed normal to increased numbers of megakaryocytes. Levels of antiplatelet antibodies were increased in 80% of the children and circulating immune complexes were found in 74%. Clinically significant hemorrhage leading to anemia occurred in five patients, and CNS bleeding led to a fatal outcome in an additional three children. Spontaneous remission of thrombocytopenia occurred in three of the 19 subjects. High-dose IV gamma-globulin was effective in increasing the platelet counts of six of 15 patients (40%) but resulted in a sustained remission in only one subject. Oral prednisone was effective in increasing the platelet count of two thirds of those whose platelet counts could not be controlled by IV gamma-globulin. Bleeding manifestations were eliminated in all patients whose platelet counts increased significantly. Of the 11 children whose counts increased either spontaneously or as a result of therapy, eight remain alive (72%). In contrast, all of the eight patients whose platelet counts did not improve have died. Thrombocytopenia in children with HIV disease is engendered by immune mechanisms and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. High-dose IV gamma-globulin and/or corticosteroids are temporarily effective in increasing the platelet count and reducing bleeding in about half of thrombocytopenic patients and are recommended for use. The ability to respond to therapy correlates with improved survival.     

儿童系统性红斑狼疮合并脑后部可逆性脑病综合征4例并文献复习

目的 分析儿童系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）合并脑后部可逆性脑病综合征（PRES）的临床特征,提高对本病的认识。方法 报告北京协和医院诊断的4例儿童SLE合并PRES的临床资料,在PubMed数据库检索相关病例行文献复习,分析儿童SLE合并PRES的临床表现、影像学检查、治疗及预后情况。结果 ①4例SLE患儿均伴有狼疮性肾炎,从确诊SLE至出现PRES的时间1~63个月,出现PRES时1例正在接受甲泼尼龙及环磷酰胺(CTX)冲击治疗。PRES均以惊厥、头痛起病,并伴血压升高。②PubMed数据库检索到11例SLE合并PRES的儿童病例,结合本文报道的4例,15例进入分析。女性14例。年龄最小8岁。从确诊SLE至出现PRES的间隔中位时间为6个月（1个月至8年）。15例出现PRES时均有惊厥发作,10例伴头痛,7例呕吐,9例意识丧失,7例视力障碍。15例均有血压升高。12例有狼疮性肾炎。治疗SLE予甲泼尼龙或CTX冲击治疗分别为4和3例,予羟氯喹2例,予环孢素和利妥昔单抗各1例,PRES分别发生在免疫抑制剂治疗后的2 d至4年。15例行头颅MRI检查示大脑后循环皮质下白质受累为主。12例予降血压治疗,10例予抗惊厥药物短期治疗。9例SLE处于活动期,继予糖皮质激素和免疫抑制剂治疗;6例非活动期的SLE患儿减停糖皮质激素及免疫抑制剂。15例神经系统症状均恢复,随访均未遗留神经系统后遗症。9例复查头颅MRI示颅内病变完全或基本消失。结论 儿童SLE合并PRES主要表现为惊厥、头痛、意识障碍和视觉障碍。对于有狼疮性肾炎的SLE患儿血压升高时,尤其同时予大剂量糖皮质激素或CTX等免疫抑制剂治疗时,应警惕PRES的发生。早期诊断和治疗PRES预后较好。     

儿童神经精神性狼疮14例临床特点及危险因素分析

目的 总结儿童神经精神性狼疮（NPSLE）的临床特点,并探讨儿童系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）并发NPSLE的相关危险因素。方法 对2005年1月至2013年8月在中国医科大学附属第一医院儿科住院的14例NPSLE患儿临床资料进行回顾性分析,同时选择同期入院的31例无NPSLE的SLE患儿作对照,对两组患儿的发病年龄、性别、临床表现、实验室检查等因素进行单因素及多因素分析。结果 NPSLE患儿的主要临床表现为头痛2例（50.0%）、偏侧型运动障碍7例（50.0%）、精神异常5例（35.7%）、癫痫样发作5例（35.7%）、不自主运动2例（14.3%）、视物不清2例（14.3%）等。13例行头颅磁共振成像（MRI）检查均有异常表现。单因素分析显示患儿口腔溃疡、血淋巴细胞减少、血小板减少、C反应蛋白（CRP）升高、抗心磷脂抗体阳性、抗中性粒细胞胞浆抗体阳性、抗u1-RNP抗体阳性、尿红细胞增多、血K+升高、血尿素氮升高、血肌酐升高为有统计学意义的危险因素;进一步行非选择性多因素回归分析结果显示抗心磷脂抗体阳性、CRP升高、血肌酐升高是发生NPSLE的独立危险因素（OR=8.296、11.170、30.415,P＜0.05）。结论 头痛、运动障碍、精神异常以及癫痫样发作是NPSLE患儿最常见的临床症状,抗心磷脂抗体阳性、CRP升高、血肌酐升高是SLE患儿发生NPSLE的危险因素。     

Patterns and influence of familial autoimmunity in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of autoimmune disease (AD) has been documented in relatives of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, data on familial inheritance patterns in pediatric SLE patients is scarce. FINDINGS: The charts of 69 patients with pediatric-onset SLE were reviewed retrospectively. The primary aim was to describe the prevalence and types of AD in relatives of children with SLE. The secondary aims were: 1) to compare severity of SLE in children with and without relatives affected by AD, and 2) to evaluate the impact of baseline demographics on severity of SLE in subjects. At diagnosis, 42% of subjects had one or more first, second, or third degree relative(s) with AD; and 32% of subjects had one or more first degree relative(s) with AD. The most common diseases in relatives of children with SLE were SLE (21%) and thyroid disease (15%). Subjects with no family history of AD were more likely to have severe SLE. SLE severity in subjects did not differ by gender. Children presenting with SLE at an earlier age were found to have more severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a high prevalence of AD in families of children with SLE, although a family history of AD did not correlate with more severe SLE in subjects. Future larger studies are necessary to elucidate patterns of familial inheritance and baseline patient characteristics that may affect severity of disease in pediatric SLE.     

Clinical and immunological profile of systemic lupus erythematosus

Pediatric onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not uncommon and female to male ratio varies. Pediatric SLE patients have more severe disease at onset, higher rates of organ involvement and more aggressive clinical course than adults. We compared the clinical and immunological parameters among pediatric SLE and adult SLE from Western India. Twenty five children and 60 adult patients fulfilling American College of Rheumatology SLE criteria were included. Anti-nuclear antibodies, anti-dsDNA and complement (C3, C4) levels were tested. Of 25 pediatric SLE patients studied, 24% showed CNS involvement vs. 8.3% in adults SLE (P=0.0499). Lupus nephritis was seen in 75% adult patients vs. 52% among children. Hepatosplenomegaly was noted more among adult SLE 26.8% vs 12% among children. Alopecia was an exclusive features among adult SLE.     

Eltrombopag for thrombocytopenia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

Persistent thrombocytopenia is a common complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). While the use of thrombopoietin receptor agonists was retrospectively investigated in adults, data in pediatric posttransplant thrombocytopenia are lacking. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of eltrombopag in nine children with platelet transfusion‐dependent persistent thrombocytopenia after HSCT. Eltrombopag was started at a median of 147 days after allo‐SCT and continued for a median period of 64 days, the starting dose being 50 mg per day. The therapy was well tolerated. After a median time of treatment of 36 days, eight patients (88%) reached sustained platelets count >50 000/μL.     

NK细胞在儿童免疫性血小板减少症发病和治疗中的意义

目的：探讨自然杀伤细胞（NK细胞）在儿童免疫性血小板减少症（ITP）的发病和治疗中的意义。方法采用流式细胞仪分别检测62例新诊断ITP患儿、43例持续性ITP患儿、21例慢性ITP患儿和51例对照组儿童外周血NK细胞百分比;并观察单独使用标准剂量静脉注射用人免疫球蛋白（IVIG）对NK细胞百分比正常及减少的新诊断的ITP患儿的疗效。结果新诊断ITP患儿、持续性ITP、慢性ITP患儿NK细胞百分比均较正常对照组儿童显著降低（P＜0.05）,但三组ITP患儿NK细胞百分比差异无显著性（P ！0．05）;NK细胞百分比正常的新诊断ITP患儿单独使用IVIG有效率为92．86％（26/28）,NK细胞百分比降低的新诊断ITP患儿单独使用IVIG有效率仅为14．70％（5/34）。结论 NK细胞表达变化与ITP发病存在一定关系,同时NK细胞百分比正常的新诊断ITP患儿可首选IVIG治疗。     

儿童抗磷脂抗体阳性13例报告

目的 探讨儿科抗磷脂抗体(antiphospholipid antibodies,APL)阳性病例的特点,以提高临床诊治水平。方法 2000～2002于我科就诊的13例APL阳性的病例,6～13岁,男7例,女6例,对其临床资料进行总结分析。结果 (1)13例中有8例原发病为系统性红斑狼疮(systemic lupus erythematosus,SLE),2例原发病为急性链球菌感染,3例未找到原发病因,考虑为原发APL。(2)本组原发病为SLE的8例患儿抗中性粒细胞胞浆抗体(antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies,ANCA)均为阴性。(3)对8例APL阳性伴血小板减少,皮肤黏膜瘀点、瘀斑的病例,给予大剂量丙种球蛋白(WIG)静脉滴注,进行免疫调节治疗;对5例APL阳性伴血管血栓、血栓血管炎症状者,则积极进行抗凝、抗栓治疗,多取得较好的临床疗效。结论 儿科APL阳性病例以继发性多见,SLE是最多见的原发疾病。APL阳性可以多种疾病形式出现。对APL阳性的患儿应区别对待,根据不同病因、病情分别进行以抗凝、抗栓为主或以免疫调节为主的治疗,可以尽快的改善临床症状,改善预后。     

Misdiagnosis of chronic thrombocytopenia in childhood

PURPOSE: Children ultimately diagnosed with nonimmune chronic thrombocytopenia are often referred to pediatric hematology clinics with a provisional diagnosis of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (AITP). The authors' aim was to establish in these patients the features characterizing the mechanism of thrombocytopenia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of the case records of seven children (three boys and four girls, aged 5 months to 7 years) with misdiagnosed chronic AITP referred to a single pediatric hematology center between 1990 and 2000. RESULTS: In the seven children, the suspected diagnosis on referral was AITP and the final diagnosis was inherited thrombocytopenia. Abnormalities of platelets and/or leukocyte morphology were present in all of them. Other features suggestive of inherited thrombocytopenia included a history of familial thrombocytopenia (2/7), failure of steroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulins to raise the platelet count to normal levels (5/7), and moderate increase of Indium-111 platelet turnover in the two patients tested. Platelet-associated IgG (PaIgG) was above the normal threshold in the four children tested; the direct monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA) test was negative in the four children tested and the serum test was positive in two boys. Bone marrow examination revealed either a normal (4/7) or an elevated (3/7) number of megakaryocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Family history and blood cell morphology analysis in experienced hands are the first steps in discriminating AITP from inherited thrombocytopenia in children with isolated chronic thrombocytopenia. In contrast, bone marrow examination and search for specific autoantibodies using the MAIPA test are of little help. An isotopic platelet life span study, when available, should be performed before considering splenectomy to exclude the diagnosis of inherited thrombocytopenia, especially when steroids and/or IgG IV administration failed to raise the platelet count.