Intracranial Bleeding in Childhood ITP

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a hemorrhagic disorder that affects children and adults and is characterized by low platelet counts, often manifests as petechiae and ecchymoses. More-serious bleeding is uncommon and unpredictable and is only partly related to platelet counts. This imperfect correlation between platelet counts and bleeding has prompted preventive treatment of patients whose platelet counts are only modestly diminished. However, properly identifying patients at risk for major bleeding would allow more-judicious use of costly and potentially toxic therapies.

To better identify risk factors in children with ITP who suffer intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) — a condition associated with high rates of morbidity and death — inves…