Autoimmune thrombocytopenia: causes, diagnosis, treatment

Among diseases that are of autoimmune nature, thrombocytopenia deserves special attention. For this ailment, a characteristic feature is a decrease in the number of platelets - indispensable elements of blood coagulation. Not even knowing what it is - autoimmune thrombocytopenia, many patients ignore the first symptoms of the disease, and how often it turns out, in vain. In the advanced stage, there is a risk of developing complications that can lead to death, and the chances of a full recovery are minimal.

Thrombocytopenia: a brief description

The disease is characterized by the inability of the body's immune system to recognize its own platelets, which leads to their rejection. The consequence of the pathological process is the production of antibodies in the spleen, which help to eliminate "foreign" bodies at an accelerated rate. Most often, the disease manifests itself in winter and spring. With a low level of platelets in the blood sometimes speak of a non-immune form of the disease. In this case, thrombocytopenia occurs in the case of physical action on the blood platelets.

Referring to the group of diseases of the circulatory system, thrombocytopenia is classified in various aspects. Most often the disease is divided by the duration of the flow into two varieties - acute and chronic. The most dangerous for a person is the second type of ailment, since it may take several months, and sometimes years, to restore the normal number of platelets. Another classification of thrombocytopenia is possible, proceeding from the secondary or primary disease - the ailment can manifest itself or arise against the background of other abnormalities in the body.

Propensity to pathology, at risk

In the group at risk of the incidence of thrombocytopenia, it is difficult to assign a separate category of patients. But the constant changes in the level of red bodies in the body in women allow us to call the representatives of the weaker sex the most susceptible to pathology. The reason for this can be a variety of factors that directly or indirectly postpone their imprint on hematopoietic function (menstruation, childbearing, complications after childbirth, menopause, etc.). In children, the disease is rare.

What provokes such a disease?

With absolute certainty, the cause of this ailment can not be called. But, despite this, experts tend to agree on the autoimmune thrombocytopenia of purpura - genetic heredity plays a significant role in the onset of the disease. Other reasons for autoimmune thrombocytopenia include:

• Allergic reactions of the body (in particular, soothing, antibacterial and alkaloid medicines are capable of causing an acute form of the disease);
• Immune deficiency, weak immunity;
• Blood transfusion, blood donor mismatch;
• Acute renal insufficiency;
• Hepatitis of a chronic type;
• Scleroderma;
• lupus;
• Leukemia;
• Alcohol abuse.

The probability of development of pathology in people born with HIV infection is great. To the causes of manifestation of the disease can be attributed and metastasis in the body in the presence of malignant neoplasm. To reduce blood cells results in a deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B12, or an excess of radiation exposure, ultraviolet.

The main signs of an autoimmune variety of the disease

Symptomatic characteristic of autoimmune thrombocytopenia, each patient manifests itself in different ways. The features of the course of the disease are determined, primarily, by the causes of the development of pathology, the nature of the course of the disease. And yet to identify the main signs, when the appearance of which should be sent as soon as possible to the doctors, it is easy:

• Appearance on the skin bruising, hemorrhage. Unlike ordinary bruises purple spots patients notice most often on the lower extremities, the torso, and also the face and lips.
• Long-term hemorrhage due to tissue integrity disorder (after tooth extraction, with superficial injury, cut).
• An increase in cervical lymph nodes, accompanied by a persistent low-grade fever.
• Sensible malaise, weakness in the legs, dizziness.

What symptoms should I pay special attention to?

The sooner thrombocytopenia is diagnosed, the easier it will be to cure it. For example, patients rarely pay attention to such symptoms of the disease as bleeding gums, small rashes on the body. The reason to think about and go to the examination are absolutely painless bruises and large swelling of the tissues that occur with the slightest bruises, as well as the excretion of feces and urine with blood clots. In children with autoimmune thrombocytopenia, bleeding from the nose can often be called, unfortunately, not taken seriously by parents. Often, this fact prevents the timely determination of the true cause of pathological manifestations.

Insufficiency of platelets in pregnancy: the main causes

Pregnancy and autoimmune thrombocytopenia doctors consider contradictory medical terms. Women waiting for replenishment, the number of blood cells even in normal course changes with noticeable differences, so the task of the treating doctor can be called detailed regular monitoring of the blood condition. Normally, during pregnancy, the number of platelets in a woman is reduced to activate peripheral circulation, but such changes are not so significant to cause serious impairment in the life of the body. By the way, the causes of the disease in expectant mothers often become:

• Improper diet and lack of a diet;
• Various blood loss;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• Weakened immunity.

How to give birth to a healthy child with thrombocytopenia?

All these factors lead to a slight bone marrow production of red corpuscles. In addition, most often, platelets are produced in an irregular shape. Throughout pregnancy, the fetus is at great risk of internal hemorrhage. In the presence of signs leading to complications and deterioration of the mother and child, doctors can decide on preterm birth. Autoimmune thrombocytopenia deserves the utmost attention from specialists at every stage of diagnosis. With timely treatment of the disease, which excludes significant blood loss during childbirth, the possibility of natural obstetrics is not ruled out.

Diagnosis: how to distinguish from other diseases?

Before confirming autoimmune thrombocytopenia, first of all it is important to differentiate the true etiology of platelet deficiency, since most often the symptoms of the disease have similarity with other serious disorders in the body:

• Anemia;
• A number of oncohematological diseases;
• Metastasis in the bone marrow;
• Varieties of splenomegaly - pathology of the spleen;
• Endocrine diseases.

In most cases, the diagnosis of autoimmune thrombocytopenia does not cause complications, since various clinico-laboratory methods are used to detect the disease. Most often, doctors can confirm the diagnosis with the help of:

• Clinical blood analysis;
• Biochemical blood analysis;
• Cytological study;
• Histology of the bone marrow.

How to treat platelet deficiency?

In most cases, the treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenia is hormonal. During the treatment of the disease, the patient is prescribed hormone-containing medications, the most common of which is "Prednisolone" - a glucocorticosteroid whose unauthorized and uncontrolled use threatens the occurrence of side effects. The drug is prescribed by the attending physician, he also calculates the dosage: on average, "Prednisolone" is prescribed based on a ratio of 1 ml per 1 kg of weight. At advanced stages of the disease, a specialist may decide to increase the dosage at least twice.

Glucocorticoids have proven themselves in the fight against autoimmune thrombocytopenia, but most often the drug therapy has a symptomatic effect in the secondary form of pathology. In this case, often the only solution to the problem is surgical intervention. Removal of the spleen in medicine is called splenectomy. The operation is performed by laparoscopic method. Before direct intervention, the dosage of artificial hormones is increased threefold, injecting directly into the vein. After removal of the spleen, the course of Prednisolon does not end - the drug is taken up to two years.

Features of thrombocytopenia therapy

In case of complications arising during the surgical treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenia, the patient is prescribed cytostatic chemotherapy with an immunosuppressive function. In the treatment of severe form of the disease also includes measures to restore normal blood volume through a donor transfusion. To avoid recurrence of the disease, the patient is registered, recommending to periodically undergo a survey with a preventive purpose.

At the initial stages, the disease is treated quickly and effectively, relief often comes after applying the drug for several days. However, the abolition of medicines must be coordinated with the attending physician-patient, as a rule, drugs must be used up to the final cure.

Traditional treatment and diet

Coping with autoimmune thrombocytopenia can be done with folk remedies. At the advanced stage of the disease, their effectiveness is low, but in combination with prescribed medications, alternative treatment often demonstrates good results. To improve the blood state and increase the level of platelets helps:

• honey;
• walnuts;
• raspberries;
• Briar infusion;
• Nettle broth;
• Beet and birch sap.

When thrombocytopenia, the patient should also revise the habitual diet. Despite the lack of specific recommendations on the diet, in order to avoid the development of bleeding internal organs, it is important to thoroughly chew food, do not eat too hot dishes, refuse products that are irritating to the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract.

Is it possible to cure pathology: a prognosis for recovery?

The prognosis of autoimmune thrombocytopenia is largely determined by the form of pathology. For example, a disease in the acute phase can be treated much more easily than a chronic type of disease. In some cases, healing occurs without the use of medication. With chronic thrombocytopenia, it is much more difficult to predict the final recovery. At the same time, no serious threats to the patient's life also arise if he promptly turns to specialized care and begins treatment without leading to internal hemorrhages.

The probability of a repeated decrease in platelet levels in chronic autoimmune form is quite high, since it can be triggered by various factors - from a stressful situation to a climate change or the taking of medications. Relapses are often accompanied by a severe course, and therefore such patients need lifelong observation from specialists. It is worth noting that the dubious prognosis for this disease of the circulatory system is justified by concomitant diseases. For example, the patient's chances of recovering from leukemia or metastases to the bone marrow are minimal.