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Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease with a protracted course punctuated by repeated remissions and relapses. During relapse, platelet counts can fall to <10,000/µL and mucocutaneous bleeding can occur, although fatal hemorrhages are rare. As a result, the disorder provokes anxiety, affects employability and insurability, and complicates surgery. Moreover, whereas immune-mediated destruction of platelets is clearly demonstrable in chronic ITP, the mechanism of immune dysregulation is unclear. Consequently, unfocused therapies such as steroids, immunoglobulins, and splenectomy typically are administered. However, this situation is rapidly improving, as the pathophysiology of the disease is becoming better un…