Dr. Altomare on the Management of ITP

Ivy P. Altomare, MD, associate professor of medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, and medical oncologist, Duke Cancer Network, discusses the management of patients with immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP).

Typically, ITP is a chronic disease that affects adult patients, says Altomare. Although relapse is common, patients can live with the disease if their platelet counts are maintained above a certain level.

Notably, patients with ITP are at an increased risk of serious bleeding, says Altomare. Additionally, ITP can lead to spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in rare instances.

Currently, multiple novel therapies are available to treat patients with ITP. These treatments may mitigate those risks and reduce the long-term immunosuppression that was associated with historical treatments, concludes Altomare.