Clinical profile and outcome of newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenic purpura among Yemeni children aged less than 15 years

Introduction
Immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) is an acquired primary immune-mediated disease by a transient or persistent isolated decrease of the platelet count associated with impaired or suboptimal platelet production with an increased risk of bleeding. ITP is defined as a platelet count (<100 × 10/l) in the absence of other secondary causes. Newly diagnosed ITP is an ITP with a duration less than 3 months.
Objective
The objective of the study was to assess the clinical profile, laboratory findings, management options, and outcome of newly diagnosed ITP among Yemeni children aged less than 15 years.
Patients and methods
A prospective observational study was carried out between January 2013 and December 2020 at Al-Mukalla Maternity and Children Hospital and University Hospital for Mother and Child Health along with cases seen by the authors at the private clinic in Al-Mukalla city/Hadhramout Governorate/Yemen. The study included children aged more than 6 months to less than 15 years with newly diagnosed ITP.
Results
This study includes 36 children, 21 males and 15 females, the ages range from 1 year and 8 months to 13 years. The mean ± SD (range) age is 4.23 ± 2.41 years. The most common presentation of ITP was cutaneous bleeding that is found in 100% of cases. About 66.7% have platelet count at the time of diagnosis between less than 20 and 10 × 10/l. About 42.3% of patients who underwent observation method (no treatment) have complete remission. About 77.8% of cases achieve complete response after treatment.
Conclusion
The outcome of newly diagnosed ITP is more favorable when it occurs at young-age children less than 3 years, while sex difference do not affect outcome.