Oral vaccination with autologous platelets in chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a common disease of autoimmune mechanism in which nearly 40% of patients need a third-line treatment after steroids and splenectomy failure. Due to the variable results of the multiple therapeutic modalities in refractory patients it is necessary to develop a more effective treatment. Following previous assays of immunotolerance with the administration of "oral vaccines", we propose a therapeutic protocol in chronic ITP patients with autologous cryopreserved or liophilized platelets administered in enteric capsules. The procedure is theoretically feasible and technically easy and does not need the isolation of the specific antigen target of the autoantibodies in each particular case. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.