Splenectomy and spontaneous remission in children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Two hundred thirty of 696 evaluable children were identified as having chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Splenectomy was performed in 30 (13%0), achieving remission in 22 (73%). Favorable response was associated to higher initial platelet count. Spontaneous remission was achieved by 53/200 nonsplenectomized patients (26.5%), up to 10 years from diagnosis. More than half of them recovered between 6th and 12th month from diagnosis. The recovery rate was significantly higher (P=0.03) in children aged < 9 years (31.2%0) than in older children (14.6%). No reliable factor predictive of response in individual cases is still available. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2006;47:737-739. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.