Acute on Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia as a Cause of Thrombocytopenia in Sepsis

Department

Internal Medicine

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Cureus

Abstract

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a diagnosis of exclusion and can be challenging at times to make the diagnosis. We herein present a case of a 73-year-old male with a history of chronic ITP, who presented to the hospital with sepsis and developed thrombocytopenia. His thrombocytopenia did not improve with resolution of sepsis but improved with ITP treatment including immunoglobulins and steroids. Platelet-associated IgG antibody levels are inversely proportional to platelet counts. The antibody levels are increased in sepsis. We would like to highlight that other causes of thrombocytopenia should also be considered in sepsis.

First Page

e8168

DOI

10.7759/cureus.8168

Volume

12

Issue

5

Publication Date

5-17-2020

PubMed ID

32550083

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