The place of intravenous immunoglobulin (IgG i.v.) therapy in thrombocytopenia.

Acute ITP following infection in children has a high rate of spontaneous remission. Since the platelet count is not uncommonly profoundly depressed, ITP is associated with a mortality of around 1%. The aim of treatment in ITP is to prevent bleeding. As a rule, this can only be achieved by normalizing the platelet count. Intravenous immunoglobulin offers certain advantages over conventional steroid therapy. Moreover, two out of three patients with chronic ITP respond to IgG i.v. The characteristic features of ITP in pregnancy, thrombocytopenia in babies born to mother with ITP and neonatal isoimmune thrombocytopenia are discussed.