Improvement of thrombocytopenia after treatment for helicobacter pylori in a patient with immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura

Abstract

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is the most common autoimmune hematologic disease, affecting individuals of different ages. Recently, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori entered the list of causes of immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Here we present the case of a 55-year-old female patient with low platelet counts initially attributed to chronic vaginal bleeding. As corticosteroid therapy was ineffective she was treated for H. pylori infection. Within four weeks the patient had a platelet count of 87.17 ×109/L accompanied by clinical improvement of the symptoms. © 2014 Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular. All rights reserved.