Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a heterogeneous disorder with wide variability in response rates to treatments including corticosteroids, splenectomy and intravenous immune globulins. The nature of the underlying predisposing causes for this autoimmune disorder are not known. We have HLA typed 71 adult Caucasian patients with chronic primary ITP, and compared the data with 750 control samples. In this association study, we were not able to identify a significant immunogenetic susceptibility factor for ITP with HLA class I and class II alleles. However, it appeared that there might be an association between HLA-A2 and ITP, particularly in female patients, who are the predominantly affected group; and HLA-A2 was also present at increased frequency in patients with chronic ITP progressing to splenectomy. These findings are reviewed in the context of other similar reported HLA studies in ITP. Further studies based on larger groups of patients will be necessary to identify genetic susceptibility factors for this disease.

Original publication

DOI

10.1080/10245330290028605

Type

Journal article

Journal

Hematology

Publication Date

04/2002

Volume

7

Pages

119 - 121

Keywords

Case-Control Studies, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, HLA-A Antigens, HLA-B8 Antigen, HLA-DR Antigens, Histocompatibility Testing, Humans, Major Histocompatibility Complex, Male, Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic, Sex Factors, Splenectomy