[Immune thrombocytopenia in people under the age of twenty : a ten-year experience of a pediatric hematology and oncology department in Casablanca].

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective study of 83 cases of immune thrombocytopenia (IT) in patients under 20 years of age. The aim was to provide an overview of IT in our young patients. The median age was 10 years, with a predominance of females (71 %). The most common reason for consultation was cutaneous (65 %) or mucocutaneous (24 %) haemorrhagic syndrome of moderate severity (Buchanan grade 3) in 54 % of cases. Initial thrombocytopenia ≤ 20000/mm³ was noted in 77 % of cases, with a median of 8000/mm³. Myelograms were requested in 51 patients. Corticosteroids continued to be the most commonly prescribed drug (87 %), with intravenous immunoglobulins used immediately in 5 patients. Rituximab and eltrombopag were used in 18 patients (22 %) after failure of first-line treatment. Splenectomy was performed in 11 patients, with a good response rate of 82 %. Chronic disease progression was seen in 31 % of patients. The overall prognosis was good, with male gender and Buchanan haemorrhagic grade 3 suggesting a more favourable outcome.