J.P., who lives in the US state of Virginia, did not take the red spots on her body seriously at first and thought it might be an allergic reaction. However, in the following minutes, this situation became more and more serious.

15 minutes after the 22-year-old young girl noticed the red dots, her condition worsened. Parts of his body were bruised and swollen. He had an unstoppable nosebleed. The young girl, who was taken to the emergency room with a bruise on her lip, faced death when they reached the hospital.

Doctors discovered that the platelets in J.'s body were extremely low, meaning she needed a blood transfusion immediately.

After examinations by doctors, it was learned that the disease that brought Juliana to the brink of death was immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

What Is Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)?

This rare immune disease occurs when the body attacks its own structures due to disorders in the immune system. It progresses with thrombocytopenia, that is, low platelets. A low platelet count causes petechiae and ecchymosis (bruises) caused by bleeding into the skin, resulting in a red-purple rash.

The course and treatment of ITP in children and ITP in adults are different. Usually seen in children, ITP is short-lived. However, it tends to be chronic in adult patients. Sometimes ITP can occur during other diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, certain cancers, immune disorders, infections) or due to certain medications.

What Are the Symptoms of ITP?

Before the diagnosis of ITP, patients generally; symptoms such as severe fatigue, pale skin, and loss of appetite.