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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) may have no symptoms. When signs and symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Easy or excessive bruising (purpura) — your skin naturally bruises and bleeds more easily as you age, but this shouldn't be confused with ITP
- Superficial bleeding into your skin that appears as a rash of pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae), usually on your lower legs
- Prolonged bleeding from cuts
- Spontaneous bleeding from your gums or nose
- Blood in urine or stools
- Unusually heavy menstrual flows
- Profuse bleeding during surgery
When to see a doctor
If you or your child has abnormal bleeding or bruising, or develops a rash of pinpoint-sized red spots, see your doctor. It's also important to seek medical advice if you're a woman and suddenly develop significantly increased menstrual bleeding, as this may be a sign of ITP.
Serious or widespread bleeding indicates an emergency and requires immediate care.
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec11/ch133/ch133d.html. Accessed Aug. 28, 2010.
- Diz-Kucukkaya R, et al. Thrombocytopenia. In: Lichtman MA, et al. Williams Hematology. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6238643. Accessed Aug. 28, 2010.
- What is idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Itp/ITP_All.html. Accessed Aug. 27, 2010.
- George JN. Treatment and prognosis of immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 27, 2010.
- Blanchette V, et al. Childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura: Diagnosis and management. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2010;24:249.
- Bussel JB. Traditional and new approaches to the management of immune thrombocytopenia: Issues of when and who to treat. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2009;23:1329.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 29, 2010.
- Nplate (prescribing information). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Amgen; 2008. http://www.nplate.com/patient/pdf/nplate_pi.pdf. Accessed Sept. 7, 2010.
- Promacta (prescribing information). Research Triangle Park, N.C.: Glaxo SmithKline; 2010. http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_promacta.pdf. Accessed Sept. 7, 2010.
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