1986 Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 8-12
Ninety-two children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) visited the Department of Pediatrics, the University of Tokyo Hospital during 23 years from 1962 to 1984. We compared clinical pictures of acute ITP and chronic ITP and examined the effects of glucocorticoid on the course of acute ITP.
Male to female ratios were 22/12 for acute ITP and 21/25 for chronic ITP. Age at onset was younger in acute ITP than chronic ITP. Thirty of 33 acute ITP were younger than 6 years old but only 26 of 45 cases of chronic ITP was so. There was no difference in platelet counts at diagnosis between acute ITP and chronic ITP. Presumed causes were found in 25 of 34 cases of acute ITP and 12 of 46 cases of chronic ITP.
Of 14 cases of acute ITP treated with glucocorticoid, 8 recovered within 1 month but recovery of remaining cases was slow. Initial recovery of untreated 19 cases was prone to be delayed but 18 of them recovered within 3 months.
None had intracranial hemorrhage or died.
