Autoimmune disorder causes lack of blood platelets. It is one of the most common autoimmune disorders.

It occurs in 2 distinct clinical types, one is acute self-limiting form observed almost exclusively in children (5 cases per 100,000 persons), and another is chronic form, observed mostly in adults (3-5 cases per 100,000 persons) and rarely in children.

It may­be acute or chronic or idiopathic autoimmune disorder. For reasons unknown, platelets can be mistaken by the immune system as invaders.

When this happens, antibodies coat the platelets and the spleen’s phagocytes remove them in numbers up to 10 times greater than the normal platelet removal rate.

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The megakaryocytes in the bone marrow respond by getting larger and growing in numbers so that they may increase their production of platelets. The platelets produced under these circumstances tend to be larger and more effective than normal platelets and are called “stress platelets.”

The bone marrow attempts to overcome the accelerated platelet destruction rate but during immune-mediated destruction activity, human platelet can expect to survive only one day in the circulation instead of its normal 6-8 days.

If antibody levels are very high, a platelet may survive only minutes or hours after its release from the bone marrow and, making matters worse. Antibody coated platelets still circulating does not function normally.

Autoimmune thrombocytopenia is a relatively common disorder. This is primarily a disease of younger women. 70 percent of autoimmune thrombocytopenia patients are women, and 72 percent of these women are under age 40.

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Also, it is seen in association with other diseases, such as the autoimmune disorders of systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. The acute form of this disease is a childhood disorder. Onset is abrupt. It usually follows an infectious illness, and it spontaneously remits in six months.

The chronic form of autoimmune thrombocytopenia has duration of greater than six months, and is an organ-specific autoimmune disease. Antibodies actually are directed to important platelet glycoprotein receptors, which not only leads to a decrease in platelet count but also to functional abnormalities.

Thrombocytopenia usually improves by treating the underlying cause. Sometimes, medications or surgery can help to treat chronic thrombocytopenia. If bleeding is severe, blood or platelet transfusion can save the life.